Story 1

This is the story that started such a flurry of writing that it just hasn’t stopped.  How complex or factual it is can only be determined by you.

I would like to make a few things clear before you begin to read about my story.  This is a collection of my memories and thoughts as I have written them.  These are not absolute documents because they are written as I have remembered them, containing some errors and inaccuracies of details.  And, I have not gone into the subject of all of the strange moments and perceptions that found their way into my otherwise mundane life.  Regardless of the errors, what is contained here is at least the gist of some personal experiences.

Personally, I can’t wear a watch for any length of time and time has become a rather unimportant factor for me.  I have a trouble with dates, too.  I often can’t remember what day of the week it happens to be at any particular moment.  So, whether a date is actually 1951 or 1952 can only be relatively important to someone else, but not to me.  So, please keep in mind that this is from my perspective as I remember some of my own experiences.

I cannot say that my life has been either exemplementary or normal.  As much as I have tried to live a normal life, such has not been the case.  It is not the fault of my parents, who tried their best to raise me as they had wanted and thought best.  It is not the fault of the teachers, and significant others in my life that tried in some way or other to have a positive effect upon me.  It has been an accomplishment to make what I could of my life as best I have.

My life took a dramatic turn at a very early age from my point of view.  I experienced the first of many encounters with beings from other worlds.  These strange beings were not a figment of my imagination.  They were real people with definite purposes and things to do that somehow included me for whatever reasons.  In no way could I perceive anything special or important enough for me to have raised considerable interest, and sometimes great trouble, in the eyes of these strange beings.  Still, the visits by these beings had a very definite effect upon my natural life patterns.

As a child, I remember that I cried loudly and often.  There were many little fears that would terrify me in one way or another.  I feared the dark, the space under my bed, closed in spaces, and many little things about the house that could trigger a kind of fearful reaction.

Little round cupboard handles that somehow looked like eyes fascinated me as much as did mail order catalogues.  But, the reaction I gave when a cupboard door moved while I stared at the little handle was enough to send me running, screaming in terror.  The cupboard handles weren’t the only things that could set me off in a severe reaction bout.

I had a very difficult time making friends with other children.  At no time could I be left alone without an adult person around to watch over me, especially when playing with other children. As spoiled and selfish as I was, it took no time at all to have me screaming, kicking and biting for one reason or another.  As I grew older, my habits changed only a little.  My crying spells diminished during the day.  But, at night, there were nightmares of all kinds that even a night light couldn’t brighten.

One warm summer day in 1952, I was allowed to play outside on the large grass field in front of our house.  Mommy was busy at making sandwiches in the house for us to have a picnic lunch. Mommy could see me as I played through the front windows of the house.  Mommy soon finished making the sandwiches and she brought them outside for us to eat.

I asked if I could eat my sandwiches in the tall grass playhouse at the east end of the grass field.  Mom could see me clearly as I went to the play area, sat down and began to eat my red jam sandwiches.  A blob of the red jam dribbled out of the sandwich, across my fingers, and down the front of me to the grass.

Mom was careful to watch me usually, but for some reason or other, Mom’s attention was diverted.  I knew that as much as I knew there was to be something different about to happen soon.  Whatever it was that could warn me of something unexpected would happen, also helped me to be still, quiet and not afraid when three strange figures walked out of the forest directly in front of me.

They were dressed in shiny dark blue clothes that reflected light as they moved and walked.  Those clothes weren’t anything like the clothes people I knew would wear.  Although I knew them for clothes, I couldn’t see any kind of fasteners such as buttons or belts on the second skin, plastic like, blue material.  But, I didn’t have much time to think about the remarkable clothes of these short people.

I was not afraid when one of the blue people stooped to pick me up and carry me into the forest.  Somehow I was made to understand that there would be no harm allowed to happen to me and that we would not be going very far into the forest.  I could only feel uncomfortable because there was jam from one of my sandwiches sticking my fingers together.
I have never liked sticky hands.  After a brief fuss, it was

usually wiped off.  This time, I didn’t make a fuss and

endured the goo on my hands as I was carried along.
The other two people talked to each other for a moment, before they followed quickly.

I wasn’t carried far at all, perhaps only a few hundred feet to a clearing in the forest.  There, the group paused momentarily before a bright yellow light glowed in the air around us from above.  In a few short seconds, there was a whirl of yellow sparkles in the air around us.

A few moments later, we were standing inside a round room.  There were others in the round room and there were many things going on at the same time.  I didn’t understand exactly what was going on, only that somehow I was part of the reason those strange people had for being there at that time.

I was told to stay out of the way of the people who controlled the round room.  I became bored and started to play with some buttons in front of the seat where I sat.  It was soon discovered what I was doing, the people became angry at what I did.  It was also discovered that jam on my fingers made some of the buttons stick.  One of the people wiped off the jam on my fingers and off the buttons I had touched.  Then the person talked to me for a few minutes. I was made to understand there were things I had to do and I did what I was told as best as I could.  After a long time, the five strangers in the round room were able to open a door and go out to meet more people like themselves.

I was taken into a room that had cloth walls, a table and a large bathtub.  I was lifted onto the table and many things were done to me.  My clothes were removed and I was told to sit quietly.  Other people came in and gathered around the table I was sitting on.  There were several people who seemed to know what to do and others obeyed their commands implicitly.  When they had finished what they wanted to do to me, they left.

One of the people stayed behind.  That person said it was time for my bath.  I was picked up and carried over to the large bathtub.  I was given a bath in a large tub of cold liquid.  I was held by my heels and lowered head first into the salty cold water.  I began crying because of the pain from my heels caused by how I was being held.  Still gagging on the awfully tasting water, I was raised up and the hands holding my heels were repositioned further up my ankles.  Again I was lowered into the terrible water for a few long moments.  Then, I was held up and dried quickly.

Then I was taken into another room.  I saw other children of various ages, all of them older and larger than me, playing there.  We quietly introduced ourselves to each other.  After the introductions, we talked quietly about where we were from.  They all named cities and towns where they lived while I had difficulty describing the mining camp I was from.  I became bored and asked about what toys they played with.  I could see that only one or two of the children had toys to play with.  A boy had a small truck and two girls carried dolls, an Annie rag doll and a porcelain and cloth doll. The toys were personal comforts of the children.  One of the strange people came to me and explained that I wasn’t allowed to play with their toys.  I didn’t make much of a reply.

Still bored, I asked what other games we could play.  The older children were adept at playing some kinds of games.  Most of the game playing involved thinking and other things I couldn’t grasp.  I soon found out that I wasn’t able to play those kinds of games.  Instead of playing games, we sat in a circle and talked about everything.

The children were from different places, but they all spoke the same language.  All of them had been unhappy or unwanted where they had lived.  It was by chance that they found themselves to be discovered by the strange little people.  When offered the chance to live with the strange people, the children agreed, hoping for a better life.  None of the children could have imagined how different everything would be living with the strange people.  Whatever they thought about the strange people after moving to their new home couldn’t make any difference.  The children were well aware that they couldn’t ever return to their old homes.  For that, they were all sad.

I was told many things and I learned many things more.  When all was said and done, I was led back to the round room.  The same five people were there to take me back to where they had found me.  I was allowed to say goodbye to all of the children, we hugged or shook hands, said a few brief words.  Then, we left that place and went into the round room again.

A long time passed in the round room.  I was told more things to remember and it was made sure that I could repeat most of what I had remembered.  I was put into the little round room of the yellow light.  A few moments later, I was standing on the ground in the same clearing in the forest where I had first met the little men in their shiny dark blue suits.

I was supposed to go left on the path through the clearing a short distance to get back to my house.  For whatever reason, I turned right and began to follow the path into the forest.  I walked along the path until I came to an obstacle I couldn’t cross.  The path led twisting and turning across the slope of the mountain to a point where a four-inch water pipe crossed the path.  A set of wooden steps allowed passage over the water pipe.  I couldn’t climb the steps, so I sat down to rest and wait for someone to come along the path to help me.

In the far distance, wolves howled as they did while searching for what they could eat.  The howls of the wolves echoed as they called to each other. I wasn’t immediately afraid, so I didn’t cry.  I thought of big black bear and a cougar that I had seen some time before while I sat on the lowest step of the wooden stair.  Not liking those thoughts, I turned my attention to the area immediately around me.

I didn’t wait long before a tall man dressed in black clothes came along the path.  He introduced himself as Sir William.  He picked me up and carried me up to the top of the stairs.  At the top of the stairs, he sat me down and seated himself beside me.  He began to tell me about himself and why he happened to be there to help me.

Sir William was a peer of the British Empire who had been given the duty to find out about my family and if necessary to help us if we were in any danger.  He had left behind his titles, castle and lands to obey the command of his superior peers, which directed him to search in the wilderness for our family.  He had left behind his life of prosperity to wander in the wilderness as he had done for the past few weeks.  He had encounters with unfriendly people, escaped the wild beasts of the forests and had lived moving from places of safety in the forest.  He loved the beauty of the vast, pristine wilderness and all the wondrous teachings of his learned masters helped to prepare him for what he found.

Sir William asked if I knew what he meant by appreciation.  I said I didn’t know what the word meant.  He explained that and several other things, which he felt important for me to learn.  We sat looking at the small bushes along the path and the sunshine coming through the depths of the forest.  From the vantage point, we could see much of the area around us.  The sunlight was golden rays of color, which made everything around us all the more pretty and beautiful.  I remembered the colors of the light I had seen inside the church on the afternoon that I had been baptized.  I thought of the colors of light I had seen that had made the flower of the world.  My mind was filled with the thoughts and ideas that I so wanted to express to Sir William.

I turned to tell Sir William something.  Instead of seeing Sir William sitting beside me, I saw two wolves come racing up the path toward us.  Sir William became a fluid motion towards the racing wolves.  The first wolf leaped as a shot rang out.  It was dead as it collided in mid air with Sir William.  A second shot was fired as Sir William and the wolf fell to the pathway. The second wolf was upon him immediately.  As Sir William struggled with the attack of the second wolf, a knife appeared to flash in great strokes upon the neck of the wolf.  The wolf ceased to move.  Sir William lay gasping underneath it.

After a few minutes, he shakily stood up to hastily brush himself off.  He said he had trouble with the wolves before and had to use extraordinary methods to escape them during his wanderings in the forest.  Sir William said there would soon be others of the pack to which these dead ones belonged.  We would have to run fast and far to the safety of taller trees along the path.  The bushes and short alpine trees around us could offer no protection or safety from the hunting wolves.

Hastily, Sir William picked me up and carried me as fast as he could travel along the winding path to safety.  Sir William ran with me cradled in his arms for as long as he could.  Tiredly, he asked me if I had been carried in any ways different that how he carried me now.  I said that I had been carried in all different kinds of ways.  He began to move me around into different positions so that he could be more comfortable with the burden of me.  Some ways were better than others, he liked to carry me upon his wide shoulders and use one hand to hang onto my legs so that I would not fall off.

Sir William ran more until he had to walk, catch his wind and then, run further.  When Sir William was very tired and unable to run any further, he said he felt like he could fall asleep even while he ran.  I said if he could rest while he ran, I could steer his direction.  We worked out a way to do this and soon he was running again, sleeping as I steered his rush along the path to safety.

In the distance we could hear other wolves finding the dead ones at the steps of the path.  The dead ones only represented food to the hungry wolves.  The pack fed wildly on the dead wolves before continuing to hunt.  The pack was wilder now, following the scents we had left on the path.  Sir William continued to run, but it was only a matter of time before the wolves would catch us.  We had to reach safety soon or be killed by the wolves.  It began to grow dark fast as the last of the sunset faded into darkness.

Sir William began to stumble more often as jogged along the path.  At last, he stumbled and fell awkwardly on roots growing out into the path.  Sir William made a cracking sound and groaned when he landed on the tree roots and rocks of the path.  I fell flat on the ground and was knocked almost senseless for a few minutes.

Sir William tried to get up but he couldn’t.  He didn’t know whether he was just too tired or something had broken when he fell.  I tried to help him up but it was futile to move him.  Sir William cried and groaned in pain each time he tried to move from where he lay.  He said that my safety must be assured at all cost now.  He called me to him and grabbed me with his great left arm.  Then he pitched me up into the branches of the tree beside him.  I flew up and caught onto the nearest branch.  I forced myself to gain a good position on the branch beside the tree trunk and waited.

The darkness of night came fast.  Sir William and I talked as much as we could.  Sir William began to recite something he had to memorize to keep him in the time of his greatest distress.  He had me repeat the passage of strange words so that I could remember it too.  As the howling of the wolf pack approached, Sir William told me to climb as high into the tree as I could.  I cried and said that I was going to do that when I had to.  It wasn’t long before the wolves attacked Sir William, as he lay helpless on the ground beneath me.  The wolves bit and chewed until the life of Sir William was extinguished.  The feeding frenzy of the wolves was terrible and I screamed and cried as the horror continued.

One of the wolves began to leap high up the tree trunk near me.  I screamed as the snapping fangs came very close to dragging me from the branch.  I became frantic.  I climbed higher up the tree as fast as I could.  The wolf managed to gain the lower branch.  It struggled and whined as it scrambled up the tree after me.  I kept climbing until the branch that I reached for broke as I pulled on it.  I almost fell, so I stayed where I was, crying and very frightened.  The wolf kept climbing after me.  I couldn’t see the wolf, but somewhere beneath me I heard branches begin to break.  The wolf began to fall through the branches until there was silence.  I heard the wolf hit the ground hard.  It whimpered a bit then it was quiet.  In fact, it was totally quiet.  I couldn’t hear anything anymore.  The wolves had gone.

I stayed high up in the tree for a long time.  I fell asleep after crying until tears didn’t come out anymore.  I woke up and began to climb down the tree.  When I got to the ground, it was all messy and wet.  I slipped and slid, crawled for a short distance before I managed to stand up on the path.  It was dark, but I was able to follow the path to a house.  There was a small white candle in the window. I walked up to the door crying and trying to scream out words of warning about the wolves.  An old man came out with a lantern, saw me in the darkness, and rushed up to me.  He kept asking questions as he picked me up and carried me into the main room of the little log house.

There was an old couple that lived in the house.  They took me in to the middle of the main room and held the lantern close to me.  They were horrified at the sight I was, asked questions while a basin of hot water was prepared.  I didn’t say anything, I just couldn’t.  When I did try to say something, I began sobbing and couldn’t stop.  I was washed softly in the warm water.  My clothes were washed, too.  A blanket was wrapped around me and I was kissed and cuddled until I fell asleep.

About two o’clock in the morning, daddy came to pick me up.  A friend of his drove him along a road to the camp where the old couple lived.  The camp was sixteen miles or so as the crow flies from the camp in which I lived.   It was a considerable distance that Sir William had carried me in the rush to safety.

Daddy told me that mommy lost me at about lunchtime.   Mommy had told daddy that all she could find of me was a partially eaten jam sandwich.  It had been thought a wild animal had carried me off into the forest.  Everyone had thought I would be dead if I was to be ever found.  He told me that the whole camp had gone looking for me and that I couldn’t have wandered off so stupidly, so who helped me?  I didn’t say anything.

In silence we went home, I was put to bed while daddy went to call in all the searchers.  He came home several hours later.  Daddy told mommy that the search had been called off.  Then mommy and daddy talked for a bit before they went to sleep.  I had terrible nightmares and cried myself to sleep.

The next morning, the grisly scene of the fight on the path was discovered.  The body of a stranger was discovered amid the dead wolves.  No one knew who the stranger was, or anything about him.  It caused many tales to be told about the death of the stranger in the black clothes.  It was decided that the dead stranger would be buried in the local cemetery.  The preparations were made as quickly as possible.  The following day, the stranger was laid to rest in the grave marked simply as the unknown stranger who was killed by wolves.  A small ceremony was held in honor of the unknown stranger and the mine closed for that day in respect for the deceased.

I wasn’t allowed to go outside for a month.  I wasn’t allowed to be anywhere without someone watching me for a very long time.  I became easily frightened and it was discovered that I had become afraid of the dark.  I refused to go anywhere by myself.  Terrible nightmares continued to haunt me for a very long time after the incident.  The women of the camp decided that I had undergone a real and terrifying experience.  It was decided that I was to be treated as nicely as possible until I could forget whatever had happened.  I wouldn’t tell anyone of the experience nor of any details, so it became simply a mystery.

In the fall of 1954, I began to work my way through the travails of Grade One.  I had a terrible time adjusting to the demands of school.  Learning the alphabet, numbers and other basic skills were only secondary to the skills I had to develop to cope with the three hundred or so other children in the same building.  I admit that I was not immediately successful in my first encounters with either teachers or students.  For that reason, I was not allowed to be unsupervised at any time in the school.

Growing up in a mining camp out in the wilderness had left me totally unprepared for school.  I lacked the basic educational skills as much as I was completely ignorant of social skills to interact with other children of my age and grade.  The other students victimized me at every opportunity.  It was terrible for me to be teased so relentlessly, and attacked at the moment I tried to defend myself.  I simply couldn’t cope with the social aspects of being a student so far behind everyone else in my class.

I amazed my teacher in that I was naturally disposed to use my left hand rather than my right hand to print and draw with.  The teacher often firmly applied a wooden pointer to my hands to train me to be right handed.  In good conscience, my teacher was very strict about my lessons as much as other unmentionable things about my behavior while at school.  Somehow, I found myself catching up to the rest of the class in doing my lessons and completing my homework assignments.

One damp and foggy morning, I found myself looking at the grass of the lawn around the school.  There was some time before the morning assembly bell was to be rung and I concentrated on the microcosmic view of the three-inch high grass.  I watched as mist swirled across the lawns, wetly touching the grass.  So slowly, yet perceptibly, dew formed on the leaves of the grass.  Tiny droplets of water gathered and slid down along the blades of grass to be sopped up in the rich earthen ground.  The whole process of moisture-laden air touching the individual leaves of grass until water droplets had formed was something that I was so happy to see.  It was a big discovery for me.

The mists of the morning wafted along, touching apple trees of a nearby orchard, bordering brush and finally the manicured expanse of lawns beside the elementary school.  And, wherever the mists had touched, moisture gathered and found its way to the ground.  I stared for a long time while tiny droplets of moisture grew and ran downwards.  I don’t know how long I stayed there, frozen in time and place.  I do know that the sun came out and chased all of the mists away.  Still, I stayed where I was, lost in my own little world of miniature.

It took me long moments to realize that I wasn’t looking at lawn grass anymore.  Instead, I was looking at smooth white floor.  The floor was perfectly smooth, not a seam or scratch on its perfect, non-slippery, non-reflective, pure white surface.  Slowly, stiffly, I started to rise up off the floor.  There were people standing around me, waiting until I got up off the floor.  The people were the short hairless people wearing form-fitting uniforms.  I seemed to know these people, or at least I wasn’t afraid of them.  After more long moments, I began to recognize a few of the people I had met during my first experience.  Somehow, this new development was a pleasing sort of surprise to me.

The operation of the ship demanded that everyone be kept busy with one thing or another.  Even so, one of the busy people would take a few moments to check on me.  Otherwise, I was left to watch everything as long as I stayed out of the way.  It was only a short time before I was led from the ship to a room.  The unfurnished room was crowded with   waiting people.  I wasn’t alone so I didn’t seem to think anything of standing for a while.  Later, I sat on the floor and waited.  I did remember hating the waiting part.  There was nothing to do at all besides wait.  One at a time, these waiting people were led from the room to be brought back some time later.

Eventually, it was my turn to be led away from the waiting room.  I was taken to a small room not far down a long hall.  That room had curtains of some sort for walls.  I thought that was very interesting because I had not seen curtained rooms before.  I was asked about my interest in the curtains.  My only reply was that I didn’t know of any kind of house that had curtains for walls, was this some sort of giant tent?  No, the curtains were only a small area of a much larger room.  Still, I was interested in the curtains as much as I had been amused by the colors and textures of the grass.

The next thing that happened was that I had to take off my clothes to get onto a sort of wheeled table.  I didn’t think it was so necessary to take my clothes off.  After some trouble, I was laying naked on the cold and hard table.  A bright light overhead was turned on and the room began to fill with a number of the little people.  They were all the same, basically, dressed in surgical caps and gowns.  They went about their examination of me in a precise manner.

I was aware of the goings on even though I couldn’t move at all.  I was able to see and feel all of the surgical procedures and explorations.  It was of no apparent concern that the pain levels I felt were of any real concern.  And, I suppose, it wouldn’t have made any difference to the procedures anyways.  I could only lie still on the flat cold table until the dreadful time was over.

The pain eased until I was able to sit up on the table.  It was necessary for me to be helped to a standing position.  After a few moments, I was led away, back to the waiting area.  There, I stood until I simply had to sit down.  I found it was too painful to sit on the floor.  Knowing that I couldn’t possibly stand up, I laid flat on the floor.  Mercifully, I went to sleep.

I woke up some time later, feeling much better than I had before.  Most of my pain had disappeared and I felt much better for that although I was very weak.  I was still laying flat on my back, with my eyes closed.  When I did open my eyes, I saw that I was no longer in the waiting area.  Instead, I was on the floor of the round room that moved me from place to place.

My wakeful state was noticed by one of the people who had accompanied me to where ever I was at that moment.  I was helped to stand up and steadied for a bit.  It was too much for me to stand on my own power for any length of time.  As soon as that fact was realized, I was led to a sort of chair.  I sat down and rested as I could although very uncomfortably.    Pain returned to me and I fell off the chair.  I was left to remain laying on the smooth floor.  I went to sleep once more.

I woke to the sounds of many children playing at a great distance from me.  It seemed to me that I was very tired and sore all over for some reason.  I couldn’t even be bothered to open my eyes at all.  I could feel the warmth of sunlight and the softness of grass under me.  That was so nice and comforting to me that I went back to sleep.  I don’t know how long I slept.

Once more I awakened.  This time, it was quiet except for the sounds of birds in the nearby trees.  Slowly I opened my eyes to the brightness of the sunlight.  Instead of the normal spectrum of light colors, like the crayons of my coloring box, I saw very different kinds of colors.  Predominate shades of reds, purples, and blues, were all that I could see of the shapes around me.  Trees nearby, the grass that I lay on, sky and even the structure of the school building, were simply forms of swirling colors.  The air above me swirled in varying shades of colors that made my senses reel.  I became sick to my stomach, crying for a while before I fell asleep again.

I was lying on the grass of the school lawn when I awoke once more.  I was very nauseous, weak and confused.  The colors that I had seen before were beginning to return to more normal shades.  As I looked around me, the colors seemed to be adjusting to even more normal colors.  I began to feel a bit better, hoping the unfamiliarities would simply go away.  Something was changing my sight to see more familiar colors of my surroundings.

In the place of swirling reds, blues and purples, I began to see outlines of streamers of something covering everything.  The streamers were light gray and creamy white flowing lines of something.  I didn’t know what that something was, only that it looked like giant cobwebs of some impossible spider.  Heaps of the stuff stretched out from the trees to the school, hung from great heights over everything, and coated me with big wads of the visible stuff.

I was shocked to see this strange stuff sticking to everything.  I raised my arm only to see it coated with the cotton candy like material.  It bundled around my hand and streamed out from my arm as if it were some kind of cobwebs.  I rotated my arm in a circle, gathering a huge amount of the web like material.  It clung to my arm in the same way that cobwebs would have.  Surprised by this new development, I sat up to see more of the same strange stuff growing everywhere.  It grew thicker as I watched, coating me more at each passing moment.  Soon a deep mound of the stuff covered the area where I was.

I didn’t like the strange, sticky, web like stuff that was piling up over me.  I thought to get away from the strange stuff by crawling about ten feet away from where I had been for so long.  When I moved my arms forward, I began to feel some slight resistance of the web like material.  It clung to me in thicker wads that made my movements more difficult.  It coated my form and everything so thickly that it made my movements increasingly difficult.  My breathing became affected as the strange stuff filled my mouth and nose.  I started to panic at the thought of suffocating in the strange stuff that had thickened considerably in the sunlight.

The strange stuff was a terrible thing to experience.  I tried to wipe my mouth clear of the web like material, but there was so much of it that my efforts were futile.  I tried to wipe away the stuff where it had thickened to my arms and head.  In desperation, I put my head under my arm and laid flat on the grass.  I began to cry.  My tears fell onto the grass and made me think of the morning dew forming from the touch of mist on the blades of grass.  I thought of the colors of those moments and the familiarity of my memories comforted me considerably.  I fell asleep.

I awoke to the sensation of being repeatedly poked as an urgent roar filled my ears.  The taste of the web like material was strong in my mouth and still coated my eyes.  I rubbed my eyes and sat up on the lawn grass.  The poking sensation stopped and I began to get vision back in my eyes.   It was normal vision of a sort.

A teacher stood over me, concerned and very upset that I wasn’t in my classroom.  I felt myself lifted into a standing position.  Brisk brushing of hands over me returned my senses considerably.  My clothes were straightened and I was gently nudged in the general direction of the school doors.

The rest of the day was very quiet for me.  I overheard two teachers talking in the hallway outside my classroom.  They were discussing the fact that they had searched everywhere for me but I was nowhere to be found.  Then, several hours later, I was found lying on the grass at the east end of the school.  Where could I have possibly gone in all of that time?

No one knew anything of my experiences, nor of where I had been.  The school staff, or any of the students did not miss me.  Or rather, I should say that nothing of consequence was particularly remembered about the events of that day that would have made it any different from any other day at that school and especially concerning me.

My strange experiences of that day at school had left me with many leftovers.  I had terrible nightmares and many other unusual fears.  I feared and panicked at very dark or very bright lights, unusual sounds and even textures could upset me in extraordinary ways.  At almost random times, I would remember small snips of memories that involved unusual experience.  I became far more prone to crying than usual.  It was a very unhappy time of my life.  Months passed before I settled down enough to say that the unusual incident didn’t bother me as much as it had originally.

I can still remember many significant things about my first year in school.  The taste and smell of the paste glue and the hexagonal shape of my first box of Sergeant Crayons dimmed in comparison to other memories of my unusual experiences.  And, for that, it is a curious thing about my memories.  It is supposedly a remarkable thing to remember much about early childhood.  It is more remarkable that those distant memories are so vividly clear and accessible to me after the passage of so many decades.

Early one sunny Saturday morning of 17 August 1961, a group of six young country friends decided to take a hike up the small lake at the summit of a high mountain.  The hike would be not only a meeting of friends who lived relatively close by each other, but it would also be an opportunity to end the summer vacation with a memorable weekend of country adventure and exploration.  The dismal prospect of returning to school in a little more than two weeks, made the adventure seem more important than just sitting around and watching the summer holiday slide into oblivion.

Quickly we prepared for the bicycle ascent of Becker Mountain.  Enough camping gear would be carried to make the trip an exciting adventure. It was possible that there could be a night spent on the mountain.  If so, the long descent from the summit would be made on the following day.  Weather reports were good and the warm temperatures had been anticipated.  The adventure of hiking up to Becker Lake at the top of Becker Mountain seemed to be the ideal undertaking.

The route of the hike was to follow one of the mountain logging roads that switched back and forth across the eastern slopes.  The slope of the road was steep enough to prevent most vehicles from attempting to make the ascent.  The healthy young boys thought the ascent might take as long as four hours to reach the western shore of Becker Lake.  As a final safety precaution, the young friends phoned their homes to make sure that someone in each of the four families knew where they were going and what was planned for the day.

The first leg of the hike was to reach the base of the mountain by cycling along various roads to the first main logging road near the southwest slope.  About an hour of fast riding brought the cyclists to the first rest point on the main logging road where there was a trail that branched off laterally across the slopes of the mountain.  The bicycles were checked and a list of camping gear was made.  All watches were synchronized to the same time.  At about nine thirty AM, the hike began in earnest.

The second part of the hike was to follow a series of paths to make a shortcut across the base of the mountain to a long disused logging road.  The paths were narrow twisting ways through the dense brush and alpine forests.  It was exciting to experience the closeness of the wilderness.  The small wild animals and birds made the forest come alive with all different kinds of sounds and goings on.  Chattering gray squirrels chased each other through the trees at a safe distance and birds sang out warnings of our approach to the rest of the forest creatures.

It was a beautiful warm day and a wondrous time of our lives.  Gone were the thoughts of home and chores, of schools and teachers, of enemies and petty differences.  There was only the beauty of the moment to experience and we were there to enjoy it.  There was a considerable effort expended to ride upwards along the dangerous paths originally meant for walking expeditions.  The pace of the ride so far had been quite fast, or at least as fast as we could manage.

It is one thing to go racing along a twisting and turning path, doing the same thing on heavily burdened bicycles made easy turning as dangerous as riding on a tightrope.  Any mistake could result in a terrible crash.  The sharp volcanic outcroppings, bushes and trees along the path, and the steep rises in the terrain were not to be underestimated.

Almost too quickly, passage was made along the paths to the second logging road.  A second stop was called.  Everyone had begun to sweat heavily from the exertions of the hard riding.  The bicycles were again checked for damage and loose bindings of the camping gear were tightened securely.  For about fifteen minutes, the area was littered with half a dozen young bodies, sprawled out, panting, sweating and attracting a host of flies and mosquitoes.  As soon as breathing of the young friends returned to almost normal rates, there began discussions of the quickest and the best ways to proceed with the ascent of the mountain.  A vote was taken to go on with the original plan of following the logging roads to the top of the mountain.

Almost lazily, and certainly tiredly, the hike was resumed.  Only a short amount of time could be spared for resting, or there would be little daylight left after we reached our destination.  It wasn’t long before the combination of exertion and warmth of the day renewed the effect of sweating in everyone.  As the altitude increased, the breathing of the straining bodies became faster to make up for the lessening of the available oxygen in the thin air.  Rest stops became more frequent and of a necessity, longer.  The pace set at the beginning of the hike was reduced to no more than hurried walking.  Some parts of the logging road were so steep that it wasn’t possible to ride the bicycles. Instead, hard struggling was necessary to continue up the ascent.  Time was a definite concern, so resting was kept at a minimum.

Everyone was exhausted by the time the summit was reached.  In total, the hike had taken about four hours to the destination.  Beyond the uppermost ridge crest of the mountaintop was about a mile or so of riding on almost level ground.  Then the old logging road forked to encircle the shores of Becker Lake before connecting and continuing on down the eastern slope of Becker Mountain.

There was a small cattle ranch somewhere near the lake at the top of the mountain, but none of us knew its exact location.  We did have a concern about running into one of the cowhands, or worse, one of the range bulls that roamed the flat lands on the summit.  Those fears were put aside as bear droppings were found on the road.  The bear had probably gone to the lake for the stock of fish it contained.  Further along the road, small animal tracks crossed those of the bear.  We felt better for it but we still kept a watchful eye open for movements in the bush and trees along the logging road.

At the western fork in the logging road, we stopped to unload all the camping gear and make plans for what there was to do while daylight remained.  As soon as the bicycles were unloaded, everyone sat down and rested.  While we rested, many things were discussed.  Someone said there was an old log raft hidden somewhere along the shore of the lake.  That had to be searched for and determined if it could be used.  Camp had to be made before the sun went down.  Something had to be caught for us to eat, namely fish, or a large animal like a rabbit, or possibly one of the many birds on the lake.  The food that we had brought along on the hike had been consumed.  It was a necessity that edibles and something be caught for supper.

It was decided to split up into pairs so that if anyone got into trouble, there would be someone nearby who could either remedy the situation or call for help.  Visual signals and loud whistle calls were established into a code and memorized.  We wanted to be as careful as we could.  The only weapons available were a small hand ax, a hunting knife and an assortment of jack knives.  Thus prepared, we set out in pairs searching for the supposed raft.

It wasn’t very long before the log raft was found hidden in the rushes and swamp plants that flourished in the shallows of the western end of Becker Lake.  A bit of work was necessary to make the raft safer than it was.  One pair of boys braved their fears and poled the raft out onto the lake.  Soon they were riding a fast current out into the middle of the lake.  A fishing line with a baited hook was trailed into the water.  Both the boys on the raft leaned over and stared into the deep water.

Unexpectedly, a fish took the bait and set off a flurry of action and excitement on the raft.  Those on shore stopped what they were doing and stared out at the sight of two yelling and struggling boys.  After a fierce battle, there was a two-pound fish flapping across the logs of the raft.  It was comical to see the boys scrambling to keep the big fish on the raft while one of them repeatedly tried to clobber it with the raft pole.  The pole was too long and the boy was too slow to hit the slippery fish.  It was so laughable to see such a sight.  The fish stayed hooked fast on the line and finally took a hard hit.  The boys began to pole for shore with their trophy.

The boys landed and began preparing the prize to be cooked.  Meanwhile, another pair of boys had boarded the raft and made their way out onto the lake.  The fishing line had been re-baited and trailed out behind the drifting raft.  Quietly, the young boys peered intently over the edge of the raft into the dark depths of the lake beneath them.  Some time went by before they also caught a fish.  The excitement of the moment was exhilarating and vividly alive as such moments could be in the fresh young minds of the boys who lived in the country.

Finally, it was my turn to go out on the dilapidated old raft with my best friend.  We were both hesitant to board the seemingly unsafe collection of logs that happened to roll and yet stay together enough to float in the same direction.  I really didn’t like the raft, but it did all that it was supposed to.

None of us got our feet wet and already there were two fine fish caught for us to eat.  I had a strong hold on the pole that was used to push the raft out from the shallows toward deep water.  My best friend uncoiled the fishing line and stared intently into the dark depths of the lake hoping to see the end of the line and possible any sign of fish.

Once the raft was in a strong current that swept around the small lake, I stretched out over the logs and looked into the depths of the lake beside my best friend.  A faint breeze stirred patches of baby ripples across the water surface.  Most of the time, there was a glassy calm around the raft through which we stared at the faint outlines of the bottom as it slid into obscure darkness.  From the Stygian depths of water, we discerned the darting movements of the larger fish of the lake.  It was a moment of total concentration and experience for both of us.  We submitted to the whimsical drifting of the raft in the current of the lake.

We could see our clear fishing line stretching into the darkness where somewhere the baited hook waited.  The line snapped tight and began to move quickly through the water.  Out of the depths rose a fish, dragging the line upwards behind its fleeting motions.  Both of us reacted instantly, surprised by the sight of the twilight battle of the fish against the thread of line.  My friend yanked hard on the line paying out through his fingers to bury the hook deep into the mouth of the fish.  Caught.  The line was wound in with the fish struggling vainly at its end.

I stood up with the pole ready to strike the fish at the first opportunity.  A few short minutes later, the fish was splashing and flapping as the line shortened.  As soon as it was flopping across the logs of the raft, I swung the pole to end the battle of the fish.  Proudly, the dead fish was held up so that those on shore could see our prize.  It wasn’t the biggest fish, but it ensured that we would be well fed at the time for eating.

Laboriously, I began poling the raft towards the western shore near where I knew camp to be.  I didn’t seem to be making any headway with the best efforts that I could muster.  My friend suggested that perhaps we should pole in the same direction as the current and allow it to carry us around the lake.

Resignedly, I gave the pole to my friend and sat down to ride for a while.  He was quick in controlling the direction of the raft. After some effort, we were in a current that rushed the raft first one way, then the opposite way as the current circled in the lake.  It was a surprisingly short time needed to make our way back to the western shore and our camp.

We gathered at the camp and decided to make the area more to our liking.  While someone hung the fish on a forked stick, the others gathered wood for a fire and poles for bush shelters.  It was decided to keep all of the camping gear on the bicycles in case a bear, or something as bad, smelled the fish we had caught.  As a further precaution against predators, we decided to keep the caught fish in the shallows of the lake.  Some other preparations were made should the camp have to be abandoned in a hurry.  A circle of rocks was gathered for the intended campfire. A few other things we managed to accomplish before it was unanimously decided to take a walk around the lake just for the fun of it.

We decided to stay in pairs while we explored the area of the lake.  The logging road that circled the lake was ideal for a ride so four of us left camp on our bicycles.  Two boys wanted to ride around the whole lake.  With a few shouts and laughing, we set off in different directions.  Periodically we could all see each other as the logging road passed trees and several sharp rock outcroppings.  We definitely made sure we could all be heard and the advance along the logging road progressed without incident.  A relatively short time later, we met at the eastern end of Becker Lake.

The afternoon sun made the day most enjoyably warm.  The sky did have a few wisps of cloud far off in the distance.  We found a large sandy area at the northeast end of the lake that had been used infrequently as a boat launch.  We talked about the ideal setting of the lake and the excellent stock of fish available.  We wandered around the sandy area for a time relaxing in the almost civilized wilderness.

My friend and I decided to continue riding around the lake.  The others were going to the camp as a group along the north shore of the lake.  We were to meet again at the camp as soon as we got there.  There was no fear or worry to bother the fun we all were having, only the bountiful lake, the wonderful alpine beauty on the mountaintop and the old logging road for our playground.

It was about three thirty in the afternoon when my friend had started riding along the logging road that followed the southern shore of Becker Lake.  I was pretty sure about the time.  Telling time by the position of the sun takes practice and I had lots of that.

I stopped in the bushes near the boat launch for some reason or other for a few minutes before I walked out to stand in the middle of the boat launch area.  I was facing southwest while I watched my friend ride to a rocky ridge that formed the middle half of the lake’s south shore.  I stood watching as my friend jumped from his bicycle and begin to climb the spine of the ridge.  When he reached the top of the ridge, he looked back to see me still standing on the edge of the lake at the boat launch area.  He waved to me and whistled for me to hurry up or he would leave me too far behind.  I waived back to him and glanced up at the sun again.

I felt dizzy for a moment because of what I thought was the dazzling brightness of the sun.  I thought for an instant to make sure my eyes were shaded from the sun by my hand.  My hand was in the right place, but there was a bright light still dazzling my sight.  Surprised, I used both hands to shade my eyes from the light in the sky.  I realized there were two light sources in the sky about the brightness of the sun where there should be only one sun.  I was confused for a minute that it took to adjust my hands so that I could see enough of the light sources to determine that one was the sun and the other was a brighter pure white light from an unknown source.

I didn’t know what caused such a bright light.  I thought of the fifty pounds of magnesium set on fire by my dad one Halloween a few years before.  That lit up the night, but this light was thousands of times brighter because it lit up the day.  I stood in amazement for a moment before I thought of pointing out the light to my best friend across the lake from me.  When I looked in his direction, I saw that he was standing and looking carefully up in the same direction as I had been.

At about the same instant, he looked in my direction and waved at me to look in the up direction near where the sun shone brightly as usual.  We both raised an arm and pointed in the direction of the brighter light source.  Then we both looked at each other to see the difference of the attitude in elevation of each other’s arm to triangulate the estimated direction and distance.  I could sense that he was as confused and shocked by the sight as I was.  We began to wave warning signals to each other.  Then we both began to whistle shrill warnings to the others who were by now well on their way back to the camp.

The four boys immediately appeared somewhere far along the north shore, well on the way to the camp.  They had heard our distress in the whistle calls of danger echoing across the lake.  The four boys began looking around for the source of our distress until one of them spied the brightness in the sky above. They began shouting and pointing up at the dazzlingly bright light.  The two of us at the eastern end of the lake kept whistling for them to get away fast because of danger.  Finally we all settled down enough that we shouted across the lake to each other.  We yelled for them to break up camp and we would catch up with them on the logging road at the west end of the lake somewhere.  The four boys scrambled out of sight very hurriedly.

I saw my friend scramble down off the rock outcropping to disappear.  A few moments later he could be seen frantically groping his way across the north side of the rock outcropping.  I saw a little silver ball floating eastward along the logging road at about a height of ten feet.  I could see the silver ball hovering as it passed the trees between the logging road and the lake.  I could see my friend hiding from being able to be seen by the silver ball as it traveled eastward along the logging road. I knew he had seen the silver ball moments before as it came along the logging road toward him.  Within seconds, the silver ball had passed by south of the hiding place where my friend held on to the rough face of rock.

As quickly as he could, my friend picked his way back in the direction of where he had come.  He reached the most western point of the rock outcropping and jumped down about eight feet into a thick bush.  He hid in the bush near his bicycle.  The silver ball continued to move steadily along the logging road to the east until I lost sight of it amid the bushes and trees which grew between the logging road and the lake shore.

I looked up into the sky to see that the dazzling bright light was increasing in intensity but otherwise was not moving.  I shaded my face with both of my hands and tried to see what I could of the source of the dazzling bright light.  I could make out only a tiny speck of something that seemed to be moving or rotating slightly while remaining in the same position. I couldn’t make out any details clearly enough to understand what was going on.

I didn’t think of anything else at the moment other than to try to determine how high the source of the light actually was.  I could see the peak of a familiar mountain far in the distance above the near horizon of trees and the ridge behind the southwestern shore of the lake directly in front of me.  I knew the familiar mountain to be about forty-five miles away from me.  The angle from horizon to the position of the light source was about seventy degrees.  Whatever that indicates for an altitude, I knew it to be many times higher in the sky than the altitude that was usual for commercial airliners to use while flying over the area on their route from Vancouver to Calgary.  The altitude of the light source, and especially the intensity of the light it gave off impressed me.

I stood still.  I didn’t think of moving, or of doing anything that would attract the attention of the silver ball.  For some reason, I thought that if I stood still, whatever was happening would simply pass me by as if I were one of the features of the terrain like a funny tree or something.  I was certainly intent on observing whatever it was that was going to happen.  It would be occurring soon. In the space of a few thoughts, I had redirected my attention back to what was taking place high in the sky overhead.

I continued to watch the light source from behind the protection of both my hands held in front of my face. Slowly I could make out a glowing area of the sky as my eyes adjusted to the formidable task of looking at so bright a light source.   All other thoughts were purged from my mind as I concentrated on the simple task of observing whatever I could perceive, knowing that maybe I might then not understand what was happening up in the sky, but later I might learn enough to decipher the strange messages my eyes were sending to my mind.  I trusted my eyes to tell me facts, even though I might not make sense of the facts as I saw them.  For some strange reason this was a very important realization for me and it helped me to completely remember what I saw photographically.

The glowing area was about the size of a house and in the shape of a Sphere.  Inside the glowing area, I could make out an intensely brilliant spot of white light moving methodically about within the confines of the glowing area.  The brilliant white spot seemed to be drawing lines of the same color of white light that remained formed as the spot had drawn them. The white spot danced incredibly fast within the glowing area until it seemed to be filled with the lines of white light.  In a moment, another area of glowing appeared and the white spot jumped into that area and filled it as quickly as it had done with the first glowing area.

This went on until there were seven glowing areas all filled with the lines of bright white light.  The dancing spot began to connect the symmetrical glowing areas of white lines with more lines until it seemed temporarily finished with whatever it was doing.  The whole construct began to pulse with energy and the white spot moved into the Center of the whole thing.  It remained motionless for a moment while vast amounts of energy flowed into the white lines and glowing areas.  The pulsing of energy resulted in the pulsing of the intensity of the bright light being given off.  The bright white spot remained motionless at the center of the construct.

The white spot waited until a critical moment before it began to whirl at the center of the construct.  Something began to appear as a solid bit of white while the spot began to dance faster and faster in lines and orbits from the center of the construct.  The spot was clearly involved with the formation of something solid in the center of the confines formed by the geometric positioning of the glowing areas.

The white spot was in motion at incredibly high velocity within the confines of the glowing areas.  As quickly as the white spot could form the lines, the object it was in the process of constructing, grew larger and more solid.  In about five minutes’ time, the object was completed and remained stationary at the center of the area of glowing constructs.

Suddenly there was a surge of tremendous energy and painfully bright white light flashed in my eyes.  I blinked rapidly to recover more of the partial sight that remained in my control.  I tried to keep a good view of what was happening and at least I noticed the object seemed to be metallic now.  The white spot disappeared and the object remained stationary, but it began to rotate on its central axis.  The constructs within the glowing areas diminished in brightness until they faded from view.  The glowing areas also faded in intensity and faded into nothingness.

At that point, the object began to fall.  It fell straight down.  It dropped like a rock until the object accumulated enough velocity to begin to flutter like a leaf as it fell.  The fluttering of the downward rush of the object increased and the object accelerated its downward velocity.  The fluttering effect remained the same but the effect of the acceleration evened out the stability of the object.  The downward motion was stretched from the fluttering of a light leaf to a spiral of steadily accelerating velocity.  Within a few moments the object had fallen downwards enough to disappear at a great distance behind the tree tops and the rocky ridge of the south west side of the lake.

In the space of a thought, I thought that I would like to try to see the object up close.  I looked for my friend on the other side of the lake.  I saw that he had come out from hiding and now was waving for me to go to the camp.  There was danger and then he yelled loudly across the lake that he had seen the object fall.  For some reason, I continued to stand exactly where I was.

I saw my friend look in the bushes for his hidden bicycle, find it, pull it out of the bushes, jump on it and begin pedaling for his life.  I was surprised to see him go so fast, because I had never seen my friend pedal as quickly as he did then.  I thought it was almost comical to see the puffs of dirt behind his bicycle as he raced away to safety and the other boys who were also making for the camp as quickly as they could go.

I was still looking in that direction when I noticed the object still far away but now much closer to me than it was before.  It was slowly rising upwards and details on it seemed to become much clearer to see.  It dawned on me that the object was approaching in my general direction.  I whistled the signal for danger loudly across the lake to my friend.  I could see him riding on his bicycle along the logging road through the trees.
I could see the object was now moving fairly slowly.  It rose up about a hundred feet above the farthest treetops at the southwest end of the lake.  I waited for the moments to go by until my friend could hear and react to my warning.  I almost sighed as he suddenly left the logging road and crashed into hiding that was a bunch of thick wild bushes.  He was not hurt from the sudden stop because I saw him looking out to where I was standing.  I pointed up in the direction of the object.  He looked up and ducked back into the bushes.  I knew that he could see the object as it approached the lake area.  I thought that I was lucky to be able to warn my best friend from riding into possible danger or worse.

The object was still several miles away from where I stood.  I could tell that it was slowing down and losing altitude again.  I watched the object drift in from the west, dropping downwards in a slightly angled direction.  As I looked at the object, I could see that it rotated slowly and that it moved from side to side like a plane dropping air before it landed as it traveled in a great arc down toward the vicinity of the western end of the lake.

I could make out a high pitched humming sound getting louder until the sound seemed to penetrate even the massive stone of the mountain.  The lake seemed to pick up the high-pitched sound and carry it clearly to my ears.  I watched as the object drifted in over the lake.  Slowly the object crossed the surface of the lake until it came to a stop near the eastern shore.  It hovered at an altitude of about fifty feet above the water and about one hundred and fifty feet directly south of where I stood.

The object remained motionless for a few minutes before its slow rotations began to increase.  As the rotations of the object began to increase, so did the volume of the high-pitched sound that was produced by the object.  The volume increased until the sound of it screamed in my ears, vibrations of that sound penetrated my body as it did to the water of the lake and the vast formations of rock that made up the bulk of the mountain.  The screaming pitch of the sound became a pain in my ears.  Everything rang with the pitch of the sound in the same way as a tuning fork when it is struck.

The object hovered as it increased its rotations.  The speed of the rotations was such that small details of the object such as the clearance lights, spotlights, aerials became invisible to my quick eyesight.  The oblong and square windows on the upper half of the object became nothing more than a dark blurred streak along the surface of the object.  Even though the object was almost perfectly streamlined, the air was whirled outwards and away from the object.

The surface of the lake became affected by the disturbing power of the object.  Wavelets formed on the surface of the lake directly beneath the whirling object. The wavelets quickly grew in size until they were at least four feet high.  The air was forced outwards from the madly rotating object with such force that spray began to be blown from the tops of the waved circles of disturbed water.  The speed of the rotations increased more until the waves of splashing water frothed upwards into a vertically rising spout of white whipped water.

The tip of the waterspout hit the center of the domed bottom of the saucer with such force that a great smack could be heard and water cascaded back down towards the lake.  The waterspout spiral continued to rise toward the bottom of the saucer until a spout of water about ten feet across was being lifted upwards to the object.  Great volumes of water were lifted and a whirlpool formed in the lake from the amount of water being removed. The waves radiated out from the disturbance made by the object until the waves reached the shore and washed several feet up onto the sand of the boat launch area.

I saw dark shapes in the water rise up the spout very quickly in a circular ascent. One of the dark shapes was a little larger than the rest and it struggled against the flow of the waterspout more successfully than the other dark shapes.  It struggled to the side of the waterspout and became clearer until I could make out the dark shape as a large fish.  The large fish struggled until it broke free of the waterspout.  The fish flapped vainly as it fell back to the surface of the lake.  From an altitude of about thirty feet, the fish hit the water with a great splash and disappeared.

I raised my hands to my ears to try to stop some of the noise from penetrating my head.  I started to back away from where I had stood for so long.  I thought of escaping the area on my bicycle that was lying near a large bush about fifteen feet behind me.  I thought that if I could make it to my bicycle fast enough, I might have a hope of escaping the area. I thought I saw a little white Sphere detach itself from the position it had on the domed underside of the object.

The little white Sphere hesitated for a moment after detaching itself from the object before it fled at tremendous speed in an easterly direction.  I lost sight of the little white Sphere immediately because of the bushes and trees on the edge of the boat launch area.  I thought that if it had been a missile, I would have been doomed.  Instead, I thought that it was only off on some other purpose.  Maybe it was like the one that had scared my friend on the other side of the lake not so long ago.  Maybe I could somehow avoid attracting the little white Sphere or the large object in front of me now.

At the same moment that the little white Sphere detached itself, the whining sound of the object decreased in pitch and volume.  The waterspout failed to connect with the center of the bottom of the object.  The column of water rested for a moment before it lost shape and began to fall back to the lake as a great waterfall.  The dark shapes in the water became exposed as the water fell away from the dripping wet bottom of the object.  The dark shapes I began to recognize as clumps of weed and other stuff that grew deep on the bottom of the lake.  Other dark shapes resolved into the forms of flapping and wriggling fish of various kinds and sizes resident in the deeper waters of the well-stocked lake.   With the roar of a waterfall, everything splashed back down into the lake.

I kept looking at the large shiny metallic object as if I hadn’t moved at all or hadn’t tried to protect my self from the terrible intensity of sound coming from the object.  I had paused frozen in midstride while trying to walk backwards across the sandy area to where I had believed my bicycle to be.  I watched the object as it suddenly changed tilted downwards and begin to slide through the air towards me.  I could make out faces of the crew staring intently at me as the object flitted in my direction.

I realized that I must represent some kind of threat to the strange people on the object.  I had a flash of memory that was filled with all the things I had done during the day.  I ended the memory with the singular question of why?  Why was it that I was of no harm to anyone now, nor did I intend to harm anyone.  Yet I was about to be vaporized and made waste by weapons from space and unearthly technologies for the simple reason that I was where I stood now.  It wasn’t fair nor was it a possibility that I could consider allowing to occur.  How unfair it was for these strange people to want to destroy me for only having made the misfortune to be in the area.

I screamed and tried to lurch around so that I could head to my bicycle. There was a loud snapping sound as I was swathed in two or three differently colored laser beams.  I was shocked into a rock hard condition and my open eyes were blinded by a direct hit of one of the lasers.  All I could see were red, blue and yellow beams of light.  Because I was still moving when I went rock stiff, I fell to my right side in the sand.

My movement had saved me from possibly worst damage by the laser effect on my sensitive eyes.  As it was, I rolled to try to regain my running momentum.  I saw the little white Sphere moving towards me not more than fifteen feet away.  It was coming through the same little passage through the bushes where I had just been before this strange business began.

As the little white Sphere approached slowly, I somehow could perceive that it was using a technology to trace back into the past for the accurate details of my personal movements in the immediate area.  I was surprised to think of my own memories as if to confirm the findings of the little white ball.  The little white Sphere made very high pitched whirring and clicking sounds as it worked.  It faded in and out of sight as it controlled the very air around it.  When it was invisible, I could tell that it occupied the same volume of space even though my eyes told me that it was not there.

The little white Sphere wanted to know why I had failed to be physically neutralized at the instant of the laser beams from the large object.  I replied with my thoughts that those had little effect on someone of my nature.  I was not sure of the reason.  I was sure that in the briefest of moments, a very long conversation was carried on between the little white Sphere and myself.  In a moment of time I was able to perceive the actions going on in the object as if I were actually there and taking an active part in what was going on.

That wasn’t true in fact, but what I perceived was almost the same thing as having actually experienced the whole incident as if I had been one of the crewmembers on the object.  It had not been intended that any sort of harm would befall me for simply being in the area.  I thought of the question why had I been so at risk of destruction for the simple reason of just being a young person in the area where all this was happening.

I seemed to be given the answer and an alternative in the same instant.  I elected to flee as quickly as I could.  I ran as fast as I ever have, scooped up my bicycle and pedaled for my life down the logging road.  I left a plume of dirt in the air as I insanely accelerated along the road to where my friends waited.  I screamed at every down stroke of my legs and raced away from the danger at the boat launching area.

I was going as fast as I could along the logging road that circled the north shore of the lake.  I glanced sideways a few times before I could make out the form of my best friend as he raced along the logging road following the south shore of the lake.  I glanced back to see if the white Sphere was following me.

My action was rewarded by a Pavlovian surge of fear as I spied the little white Sphere hovering slightly above and behind my head as I pedaled madly for my life.  I began to experience many wild thoughts of possibilities and great fears that chased me as I fled along the road.  I was not sure of my sanity in the mesh of terrors and the danger that pursued me.  I could only think of pedaling.

Thinking of pedaling was the only way that I could drag my mind back into reality.  I fought for control of my mind against something that could not be understood nor defeated in any way.  The little white Sphere had allowed me to flee the area as I had done.

The little white Sphere had allowed me to retain control of my mind as I had done.  The little white Sphere followed me merely to satisfy the directions and commands of the crew on the large object.  The large object had long since vacated the area and now was safely very far away.  The little white Sphere continued to follow me as I raced towards the camp and the friends who waited there for me.  I didn’t look back anymore to see if the little white Sphere was still there, I just knew it was there.

I reached the fork in the road while still traveling at high speed.  My best friend also reached the fork in the road while traveling at high speed.  Both of us collided at high speed near the west end of the fork in the logging road.  We caroomed off each other and kept going west along the logging road.  The boys at the camp had everything that was there already on their bicycles.  They saw us fly by, yelling to them to run for their lives.  I screamed that there had been something following me from the boat launch area but I didn’t know where it went.  They mounted their bicycles and hurried to catch up with my friend and I as we raced away from the area of Becker Lake.

After about five minutes, my friend and I slowed down enough for the others to catch up with us as we fled down the mountain.  The slope of the road lent more speed to our passage.  The sharp curves and obstacles on the logging road were somehow avoided.  There was a fear in us that made us disregard the danger of our folly.  It could be said that we couldn’t get away fast enough, although too fast would cause a tragedy.  We shouted to each other as we raced down the steep mountain slopes on that old logging road.

After we had descended to a level spot about a third of the way down the mountain, we felt safe enough to stop for a few minutes.  Besides, one of the bicycles of a coaster brake type, the one my best friend was riding, had flames coming out of the rear hub.  It was a frightening sight to see the flames as the grease within the hub burned out.  That meant that there would be no brakes on that bicycle even if the wheels could still turn.  We rested while we dumped our meager supply of water on the over heated hub.  The flames were extinguished and smoke finally stopped coming out of the hub.  It was still hot, but the functioning of the bicycle had been saved.  My best friend was not happy about the possibility of coasting down the mountain on a bicycle that had no brakes.

As the others rested and talked of various concerns, I happened to look over to a grassy area not far from us up the slope.  I almost gasped as I saw the supposedly invisible form of the small white Sphere hovering in the eighteen-inch tall grass.  The white Sphere did not move nor did it make any attempt to communicate with me.  I stood still and watched it for a minute.  I seemed to be the only one who had seen it or heard it as it hovered in the grass.

I signaled to my best friend that there was danger behind him.  Slowly my best friend turned around until he saw what I had seen hiding in the grass.  He motioned to another boy of the danger near us.  That boy made silent warnings of danger to the others beside him until all of us were made aware of the presence of the small white Sphere.

I kept watching the small white Sphere, but it didn’t make any movement or do anything.  Within a few minutes, all of the boys knew that the small white Sphere was watching.  We talked of our route back home and tried to think of all the various ways we could slip away from the watcher.  Finally the overheated bicycle had cooled barely enough to ride again.

We set off down the mountain at a much slower pace than before.  We knew the small white Sphere was following us, but there was nothing we could do about it.  We felt safer as a group and were careful not to get too far from each other.   The bicycle my best friend was riding soon lost its brakes completely.  The hub made a screeching sound as it turned without the smoothness of grease.  We were still making a good speed down the logging road.  Two of the other bicycles were used at the same time to slow my best friend down.  After a few minutes, we changed places holding onto the failing bicycle.  Somehow we managed to keep things under control inspite of our very fast speed.

We reached the point where the path met the logging road in about an hour.  There had been no sign that we were followed so we decided to chance a brief stop.  At this point, all of our bicycles were overheated, so it was as much of a necessity as a convenience stop.  We spent about ten minutes resting in the grass by the path.  The day was now at it’s warmest, as we tried to adjust to the effects of the lower altitude.  Most of us were dizzy with the heat of our bodies and the extra supply of oxygen in the air.  As soon as we could, we left the logging road and coasted down along the winding trail to the logging road at the bottom of the mountain.

It was decided as we rode that we would not stop again until we reached our homes.  We yelled to each other as we went along, either talking loudly or yelling if the distances between us increased.  There were several codes that were used by us to mislead anyone or anything that perchance could hear us.  We said one thing implying either the opposite and or a false statement.  It was not easy to get across the actual intentions of our proposed actions, but we felt there was no way that we could be anticipated.  We went along to the bottom of the logging road, planning what to do as we went.  Eventually we decided upon a reasonable course of action that seemed the most likely to succeed.

At the intersection of the logging road with one of the main paved roads, my best friend and I separated from the group that continued going south and west to their homes.  My friend and I had a much longer distance to go before reaching my house than the rest of the other boys had to get to their homes.  My best friend and I raced as quickly as we could possibly manage to my house.

A few minutes after we had separated from the group, I looked back to see the small white Sphere hovering for a moment in the middle of the intersection we had just left.  It decided to follow the larger group of boys who would do several things to either lose it or at least delay it if the small white Sphere had continued to trail them.

My best friend and I reached my house without seeing anything of the small white Sphere.   We were afraid to stay outside, which was unusual for us on such a nice day.  I warned my sister and brother not to play outside at least for today.  My best friend phoned his house to ask if he could be picked up and taken home.  That too, was unusual even though his bicycle was in a dangerous condition.

I phoned the houses of the other boys.  When the other boys talked to me, there was static on the line so bad that I could hardly understand what they were saying.  Briefly, the small white Sphere had done what we anticipated.  It had followed them at a distance to their homes.  It had merely followed the four boys and there was no trouble.  We stayed inside and tried to watch television until the ride for my friend came.

Suppertime was a usual event around our house.  Everyone sat at the table to eat just as they always did.  I was very quiet as I went through the motions of eating supper.  My mind was preoccupied by the events of the day.  I kept thinking how strange and weird everything that happened during the day had been.  The planned camping trip had ended unexpectedly.  I knew my friends and I had been frightened beyond our abilities to express.  And, now, in the calm safety of the supper table with my family all around me, it all seemed so remote.

I tried to make myself think that the whole day had been a nightmare from which I would soon wake up.  Then, everything would be OK, normalcy and sanity would return to my little world.  I kept trying so hard to forget the strange sights that my mind simply kept replaying so vividly in my mind, over and over again.  It was impossible to forget any of the sights that my eyes had seen.  So innocently, so unwillingly had I participated in the unbelievably impossible events of the brightly sunlit day.

I went to bed early that night and had terrible nightmares in my sleep.  Thoughts of what I had seen and experienced during the day were replayed until the memories mixed and transformed into impossible senselessness.  I woke several times and had to really try hard to get back to sleep.  Needless to say, I slept well into the next morning.

The morning sun rose up above the mountain to brighten another beautiful morning.  The birds were singing and bees were humming as I awakened.  I felt so stiff and sore as I lay trying to clear the sleep out of my eyes.  Slowly, I got up, dressed and straightened up my bed.  I sat down on the edge of my bed for a few minutes, resting and staring blankly at the brightness of sunlight shining a square golden ray so perfectly, beautifully onto my bedroom floor.

I daydreamed a bit, thinking of playing in our orchard, or of going for a walk in the forest beyond.  With that in mind, I left my bedroom and made my way to the kitchen.  The house was quiet and warm so I assumed that everyone had already gone outside.  I didn’t think much of being in the house alone, so I made myself some toast and chocolate milk for breakfast.  About nine o’clock in the morning, I decided to risk going out into the back yard at the south side of the house.

I cautiously sneaked through the door, looking everywhere for anything that blurred or looked funny.  I relaxed and went under the trellis of honeysuckle vines separating the east and west halves of the verdant back lawn.  I thought the sight of the sunbeams shining through the wondrously scented flowers and the rustling play of the leaves on the vines to be most glorious.  I was spell bound for long moments as I enjoyed the natural beauty of the morning light and cool air.

I closed my eyes to listen for small birds or insects that usually visited the back yard for one reason or another. Instead, there was complete silence.  Nothing was audible near me.  Quietly I began to perceive sound near me.  I couldn’t quite identify the peculiar kinds of buzzing, but it sounded near.  I began to look around for the source of the subtle sounds.  I looked up into the top of the honeysuckle vines.

Shock!  Oh, great shock!  The small white Sphere was not more than three feet away from my head.  I screamed and ran inside the house.  The Sphere tried to follow me even as I closed the door on it.  I ran to my bedroom and hid behind the closed door.

My sister heard the commotion and came to see what was wrong.  I told her to hide in her room because there was a strange thing trying to follow me.  She did as she was told and went into her bedroom.  I stayed hiding behind my bedroom door trying to think of a way to explain the strange thing to my parents so that they could possibly help me.

I thought hard about all that had happened and tried to consider any possibilities.  Then, I decided that there was no way I would let the strange thing ruin anyone’s life.  I was still thinking to myself when I realized someone had answered one of the questions I had asked of myself.

Surprised, I whirled around to face the empty bedroom.  I saw a hair thin blue laser light shining into the bedroom from beyond the window.  In the window I could see the shape of the small white Sphere as it hovered about a foot away from the glass of the window.  I gurgled and struggled as I walked over to the window.  I opened the window slightly and said as carefully as possible that I would do whatever the small Sphere wanted so long as it left all other people in the house safe from any danger.  After a few minutes, it agreed to communicate only with me.  I began talking to it until there was a knock at the door.

My younger sister was at the door again, asking if everything was OK.  Who was I talking to in the bedroom anyway?  I said that I was only talking out loud to myself.  She wasn’t satisfied with my answers, but she left me alone.  I went back to the window and said it would be better to be in a place where no one could see or hear me communicating to the small white Sphere.  It agreed and then suggested a place not far from the house.  I said I would go out to talk with it if I would be sure that every one of my family would be safe from harm.  The small white Sphere assured me that no one would come to harm in any way.

I walked up to the top of a knoll at the south end of our property.  It was a favorite place of mine and I knew every inch of the area.  I picked the best place to stand and talk to the small white Sphere.  It began to communicate to me of many things that it considered important enough to risk direct contact with me.

I tried to answer the questions as quickly as I could and found that the Sphere had to help me to speed up the time I was using to formulate the answers.  Instead, it wandered through my mental thoughts as it chose and picked whatever memories it considered useful.  I stood looking out to the south, literally not seeing what was in front of me because of the rush of memories flowing through my mind.

For a very long time I stood until I could not bear the mental manipulations being carried out in my mind.  I asked for a rest and the Sphere suggested that while I rested in real time, I could watch a demonstration of its formidable abilities.  As I watched the Sphere, it changed colors from white to all colors of the rainbow before it literally disappeared to invisibility, as it hovered not three feet away from my face.  I could see right through it as if it wasn’t even there.  Then I realized the small white Sphere had purposefully allowed me to see it as it had approached and followed me on the mountain during the day before.

I realized that I really was considered as one of the crew of the saucer-like object as I accessed the vast amount of information concerning the actual members of the crew and the purposes of their mission to Becker Lake.  I continued to make realizations and connections of information on a scale of thought I had never considered possible.

I was immediately lost in the data flows and memories that seemed to be so visible within my mind.  I experienced as much a total data flow as it was possible for me to experience.  I wanted the endless time to continue endlessly.  Thoughts and mental processes no longer slowed me down.  I was completely overwhelmed to know as much as it was possible for me to know at that time.

Even as I made that monumental realization, I experienced the same data flow within my mind as it was seen by the abilities of the small Sphere.  I saw subatomic reactions in blazes of colors, molecular manipulations by enzymes, diagnostic determinations of specific elements present within my body, data flows of energies within my mind as it functioned, and many other things.  I saw so much in each instant of real time that it is impossible to describe.

I continued to wander within the realms of data flows and the many other awesome marvels instantly available to me.  I was interrupted by the Sphere to continue with the demonstration of Sphere’s abilities.  Sphere noted that the nearest distance to the mountain was about four miles to the east of where I was standing.  The approximate distance to the nearest mountain directly south of where I stood was seven miles.  The nearest mountain directly west of where I stood was about three miles.  The ranch pasture beside our property was about one quarter mile wide and one mile long.

Sphere then communicated that it was about to survey the open pasture for life forms, elements, and valuable compounds.  The surveying process would take less than two minutes while maintaining contact with me so that I could experience the whole surveying process.

Sphere went invisible as it began the survey.  The speed of its progress was so fast that I could not follow its motion as it covered the entire area of the pasture and cataloged the entire contents of the pasture area.  There were seven hundred distinct types of beetles, nine thousand different kinds of insects and eighty species of birds, four species of cattle, two dogs, one cat, twenty-three species of mammals that lived within the area and then reams of data concerning the elements, compounds, and complex mega molecules of varying purposes and worth.

During the whole process, Sphere made sure I could see it as it moved by indicating its real presence and position with target indicators visible to the mental receptors of my sight.  I was pointed to the exact spot where Sphere happened to be speeding along during the survey process even though my ability to perceive had to be enhanced to telescopic power.  Sphere returned within the estimated two minutes and displayed the accumulated data at a dizzying rate.

Sphere communicated with me directly via a laser beam link that connected my head with the surface of the outer protective layer of the Sphere.  Sphere controlled the direct communication rate and intensity of the flows of data to and from within my mind.  I could not consciously think as fast as Sphere wanted me to.  Sphere began to alter the mental processes within my brain to speed up the flow of hard data and also to improve the natural efficiency of all my body’s functions.  I stayed talking to Sphere for several more hours before I thought of the time.  It was already lunchtime, so I left to go back to the house, promising I would be out again after I had eaten.

After I had eaten lunch, I walked out to my favorite spot and waited for Sphere to contact me again.  Moments later, Sphere began talking to me again.  I continued to communicate with Sphere for the rest of the day, I scanned data as quickly as my brain could allow while Sphere continued to work on necessary biological improvements.  At suppertime, I agreed to meet again at the same spot early the next morning.

I went back to the house and ate supper.  Soon after I had eaten, I went to my bedroom and laid down for a nap.  I slept right through to the next morning.  When I woke up, I was surprised to see the morning sun shining through my window.  I hurried through breakfast and went outside to meet Sphere at the designated spot.  I spent the rest of the morning talking to Sphere.  I stopped for lunch, hurried back to the spot and the continuation of the communication with Sphere.  Again, I went to sleep right after I had eaten supper.

On the morning of the third day of communicating with Sphere, I felt sick and miserable.  I was worn to a frazzle mentally and emotionally while physically being in outstanding condition.  Sphere altered some of the biological adjustments and indicated that I should rest for the remainder of the day.  I walked back to my bedroom and lay down to sleep.

I was so tired that I didn’t even wake up for supper.  My sleep continued through to the fourth morning.  I got up, ate breakfast and rushed up the hill to meet with Sphere.  I waited for a few minutes before Sphere showed up and communicated with me for an hour.  It was decided that the meetings would not last longer than a few hours each day.  I was reacting to the alterations of my mind while I was in direct communication with Sphere.  Reluctantly, I agreed to the limit of communicating with Sphere for only a few hours per day.

The rest of the summer holidays flew by for me.  There was not enough time in the day to do all the things I wanted to do before school started.  I actually was very busy and accomplished many things every day but somehow I knew that time was being wasted and that I could have done more.  I still enjoyed myself and took many daily hikes into the forests and along the creeks where I had many happy adventures.

It was hard for me to grasp the basic concepts of science that my friend presented to me.  My innocence of youth and my limited experience were not considered a limitation to my friend.  Instead, Sphere discovered a literally blank palette upon which to create.  And, create we did.  Together, we made all kinds of discoveries about each other and adapted ourselves as well as we could.

I am young, alive and free.  I have my friend with me.  We sit at the base of a small pine tree and communicate by laser beams.  The dance of light is so rapid that human reflexes cannot see the fluxing modulations of the hair-like beam of Blue light.  I have allowed a modification in my neurostructures to allow me to access this form of communication with my friend.

Friend, dear friend, so small and round, so vastly profound.  I share with you all of the mysteries of our universal existence.  You, my dear friend who calls me your ‘Pet’, have shown me the extent of your travels.  In recounting the extent of your galactic survey, have shown to me those wonders in light.  All life forms you surveyed were captured for future reference in your flashes of living light.  Pretty light, pretty dancing light of Life, flashing timelessly through vast seas of star swarms.  How timeless, wondrous and so bountiful.

“Identify for access, retina scan validation, Starseed priority one, condition yellow.”  A moment later, confirmation is indicated as I proceed on to new commands.  “Access Tactical Unit, confirm status.”  “Identity confirmed, accessed Tactical Unit Interface.”

At the speed of thought interfaced into laser direct communication, the commands are received and acted upon in the same clipped, efficient manner.  Voice activated and personally validated commands bear little resemblance to the translations beamed out to the intended receivers.  There are no others in this world that could possibly duplicate my commands.  No room for error, or digressions result in the hierarchical manner I have grown accustomed to.  The simplicity of my personal commands cannot, nor does not give any indication of the nature or complexity of the resulting actions.  All I care to know is that there is something happening at the time and in a manner I have indicated.

My mind slips comfortably into the light based, armored form harnessed into the acceleration seat of the cockpit.  My breathing is strained until I take three deep breaths.  This clears my lungs and resets the oxygen demands of my bright white form.  At the same time, I establish connections to both the heads up display within the periphery of my vision and the morphic surrounds of instruments and indicators.  Preliminary startup checks and resets show the normal routine of my present interface.  My skin prickles to the stimulus of adrenaline as it rushes into fully optimized strength throughout my body.

My awareness extends to search out my full capabilities in all aspects.  Reactive computational compensation slows my sense of time as I integrate fully into the cockpit.  Time and energy well into focus around me as I refine my perceptual values.  In a moment, the Tactical unit alters to become fully interfaced as an extension of my new senses and awarenesses.

Infrared colors flash into view as my altered state reconfigures into new interfaces.  A green diode in the center of the left control panel brightens as my biological status is scanned, checked and reset to present values.  Other status scans relay information to my resetting and reconfiguring interface.  My tactical status appears within my helmet, superimposed over the layout of the highly sophisticated cockpit.  Everything seems to be functioning nominally at this point.

Quickly, quietly, smoothly, my ship awareness slowly tilts and slides downwards into a slow curve towards darkness.  A very distant glitter of starlight glimmers from the edge of the galaxy.  An orb of cold blue, dark gray and dopplered red rises into magnified view of the cockpit’s main viewing screens.  Below orbits a barren planetary mass surrounded by a slow moving and very stable planetary ring.

I stare at the main viewing screens, adjusting focus, magnification and timeflow factors.  The sight of this barren little chunk of real estate is dismal with one exception.  A planetary ring evolved, formed into a stable orbit above the forbidding surface.  The small planet is merely the result of accumulating gases and space debris caught up into a swirling gravitational vortex.

Clouds and streams of dense gases and various matters surround the main planetary mass.  Out of the chaotic clouds of dust, frozen gases and basic matter, are formed the minor planetary formations.  As time progresses, the smaller particles of matter accumulate into larger chunks.  The larger chunks of matter collide, reform into even bigger chunks of accumulated debris.  Eventually, the accumulations would grow into planetary masses complete with gravity wells of their own.  Out of the clouds of dust that form planets, are also formed stars and other cosmic formations.

Only rarely do planets form incompletely or are so young that the planetary formation processes are still in evidence.  Long swirls of dust and rock remain suspended in the balance of their orbits and the weaker gravity wells of the lesser planets.  The falling space junk usually bombards the surfaces of the lesser planets.  Over eons, the clouds of space dust and rock-like matter find a stable orbit around the minor planetary body.

Planetary rings are the topic of my momentary interest.  I study the view of the planetary rings, adjusting important factors of time, distance, focus and color of light.  While I sit in contemplation of the wonder before me, a library of similar formations is being gathered from all known surveys of known space.  It soon becomes apparent that my command of data search involves considerably large parameters.  Some refinements of the growing database are necessary to confine the search for information to the vicinity of nearby stars.

After a few minutes of real time, I call up the confirmed data identified as the next available view.  Instantly the planetary view changes in front of me to represent the new data.  In all, there are fifty-four planetary formations known as rings located and confirmed existing within the boundaries of this starswarm.  At my leisure, I study all of the available presentations of ring data.

My study of celestial anomalies continues at a pace comfortable to my acceptance of new information.  As quickly as I can learn, the new information becomes a malleable factor of my overall education.  It is one thing to learn about the inner workings of interfacing with my friend, while different and often conflicting information is offered up to me as standard human education.  I have to realize that the two forms of learning are not necessarily opposite from each other, merely that they are from two different points on the evolutionary scale.

It doesn’t take me long to realize that formation of stars is similar in many ways to the formation of planets.  The main difference between the two is that in the case of stars, there is a process of ignition.  Planets form into a star only when there is enough density and presence of matter to sustain the blazing processes.  Stars flare for specific lifetimes before cooling into a critical state.  At that point, the star explodes into a nova.  Eventually, the star cools and remains as a dim cinder of matter.

Stars are random occurrences that are scattered across vast volumes of space.  Because of velocity, gravity and factors of interdimensional warping, stars born into starswarms will continue to spread out in volume.  Clouds of starswarms spiral around a center of sorts known as galaxies.  A myriad of galaxies are spread across the universe in random trails of starswarms.

Hardcopy interrupts my learning digressions.  Instant and complete alteration of all my available data results from a scan of priorities concerning the data access interface.  Somewhere, I had retrieved data of significant priority, access is summarily denied to my information request commands.  My cockpit world returns at the speed of light to the original interface values and position. There is a flash, an indication of motion and just as fast, a pervading stillness, silence.  I have been returned.

A voice echoes in my mind to inform me of my sacrilege.  As I mentally readjust to the loss of mental data input, my question of most immediate priority is phrased, formed and sent to instigate verbal rebuttal.  At the same instant, an answer forms in my mind to answer my unvoiced question.  A flow of questions and answers result, dialogued in the terribly slow nanoseconds that it takes for my mind to consciously react.  Hardcopy cannot be convinced to relent in allowing me into inner security interfaces.  I am summarily sitting in a vacuous bubble floating along a river of dataflows, data management and continuously evolving predictability computations.

For long moments, my mind is seething with the rage of painful reaction to Hardcopy’s directly invasive interface.  The pain is real enough.  Adrenaline flows freely in my body, numbing my fingers and toes, sweat rises into beads on my upper lip and nose.  I sit quietly while my tense body trembles at the peak of total activation.  I feel like I have been electrocuted.

My friendly personality interface waits patiently for me to settle down to a dull roar.  In the meantime, my mind races with the crest of biological tide let loose in my physical form.  I can’t take a breath, oxygen depletion levels within my body reaches critical levels.  My face turns blue, as I am unable to gasp a breath of the oxygen rich air.  I start to slip into deep shock at the upset my physical form has received from Hardcopy’s security parameter.

My overall condition is momentarily poor.  My lungs heave at a ridiculously low eight percent efficiency while my heart flutters at two hundred and sixty three pulses per minute.  All I can see are black clouds and a kaleidoscope of random colors.  Frantically I try to reset the primary maintenance values of my Tactical Unit.  My friend realizes that there is something wrong as I foolishly attempt a manual reset process.  My only thought is that I am suffocating, dying.  Help?

“Stay awake now.  Emergency parameters are in the process of being determined for your present physical condition,” rumbles the bright thought forms through my slipping consciousness.  The blackness filling my mind brightens into a rich blue, washes over the three dimensional kaleidoscope of colors.

Friend is now taking a concerned analysis of my overall physical condition.  Bright Blue light glows all around me, bathing me with intense laser light.  Internal damages are confirmed and healed as quickly as my friend can operate.  My nervous system is rerouted temporarily through my musculature structures during the quick-fix process.  New values are established for my physical body and confirmed fully operational.  In functional stages, my nervous system is returned to its original pathways.

Four minutes have passed since my encounter with internal security priorities of Hardcopy.  With unusual clarity, I begin to take my first breath of oxygen rich air.  Adrenaline is being neutralized artificially.  The effect of adrenaline is subsiding slowly as my biological pathways return to a more normal state of activation.  Slowly, my armored suit of light readjusts its systemic values to compensate for my overall condition.  Bright blue laser light bathes me internally as healing is accelerated.  I start to take my second breath of oxygen rich, fresh air.

I begin to be curious about what is going on at the moment.  My mind is presently operating on external controls, clears, and begins to realize that the reset values are far too high.  The flutter of my heart has slowed to about two hundred and ten pulses per minute.  Internal values of my body are monitored, analyzed, reset to lower values dependent upon amounts of available internal oxygen.  My base internal temperature is still soaring past one hundred and eleven degrees Fahrenheit; trying to catch up to the body’s burn of tremendous amounts of energy.  My metabolism is flying even if I am not.

I feel so lucid, clearly watching heads up monitor displays of relevant data.  I am curious how the process of controlling my metabolism is affecting my ability to command.  I seem too worried about what is happening to my Tactical Unit.  My question is rephrased and reordered several times.  Momentarily, I am given the answer that my lucidity is caused by direct artificial stimulation.   My actual state of awareness is not yet capable of maintaining subconscious control of my body functions.  I think that there is something really wrong now.

I ask how is it that I am still in command mode, operating a Tactical Unit while in such a deplorable state of existence.  The answer is that I am in temporary Battle Repair mode, Medical Alert Priority one, condition red.  How nice for me.  When will I be able to wake up from this stupid dreamstate?   Probability factors indicate present status can be maintained indefinitely.

Hardcopy, you made this happen so you will have to fix it.  There is a static burst and my Tactical Unit loses its prime navigational capabilities.  The cockpit begins to spin wildly out of control.  I am told that the internal gyroscopic capabilities of the cockpit have just ceased to function.  The spin rate increases beyond my tolerance level.  I start to become nauseous.

“Stop the spinning before I get sick!”  I screamed in fright.  My friend coolly replied that there was no spinning.  I felt my body go rigid in the freefall state of spinning that my senses told me I should be experiencing.  I grabbed with both hands on the only upright object I could see, the cockpit’s joystick.

The joystick had been set on automatic and was temporarily disengaged.  At the moment I had a firm grip on the joystick, automatic control released to obey my instantly precise navigational commands.  I wasn’t commanding anything except to end the wildly disorienting ride I was experiencing.

“Stop!” I yelled.  The calm voice of my friend answered my command with a logical request for parameter definitions.
“Stop everything now!” and it did.  Everything went black, silent and non-functional.  Everything did stop.

The wild ride of my senses ceased.  I couldn’t see anything at all.  I felt my stomach trying to make its way back to where it was supposed to be.  My vertigo subsided as soon as my body decided that it was safe to assume that the wild ride was really over.  My sense of freefall vertigo ebbed into a sense of numbness.

My first thought was that I couldn’t see anything at all.   “Where are all of the lights you just turned off?”  “All of the imaging data was deleted from your interface access.”  “Are there any lights that shine inside the cockpit?”  “Yes.”  “Then, turn on the lights slowly, please.”  A dim glow from the many dash lights and instrument indicators began to brighten the interior of the cockpit.  I could see my own reflection in the curvature of the canopy above me.  I looked all right as far as I could see.  I just felt about as terrible as I have ever felt.

My next thought was that my Tactical Unit was headed blindly off into doom.  I thought the best place would be the original point of interface for my Tactical Unit.  With a bit of prompting from my friend, I gave the necessary commands to stabilize my Tactical Unit at a stationary position where the original point of interface occurred.
I rested inside my full armor, strapped into the padded acceleration couch of the cockpit.  Dim glow of the dash lights gave me a colored view of the confining cockpit.  I was at the point of exhaustion and more tired than I ever thought I could be.  I stared at the colored dash lights when they seemed to flicker and dim.  “Turn the lights brighter, please.”  For a moment the lights flared brighter before they flickered and began to fade again.

“What’s wrong with the lights, now?”  In a moment, a status check of the dash lights revealed that they were fully functional and currently operating at one hundred and fifty per cent efficiency.  “Then what is preventing me from seeing the lights?”  A status check is determined and an immediate reply is given.

“Your conscious awareness is not responding to outside stimuli as it should.”  “What is the status of my conscious awareness, now?”  “It is not a good prognosis.”  “Why?”  “Life support has been terminated at your command.” “Explain what terminated means.”  “Your life support systems have been shut down completely.”  “Oh, that’s nice, now turn on  “  I went completely black.

The next thing I can remember was a distant starswarm of many colors.  I thought the lights were so pretty, as I gazed in wonder at the expansive view ahead of me.  The vista of stars loomed closer to me, magnified by the commands of my thoughts.  I heard a distant voice talking, but I couldn’t quite make out what was being said.

“Connection established, confirm direct interface contact.  Confirmed.  Reset Life Support Primary factors, monitor oxygen conversion status, and monitor carbon dioxide recycling levels in lung tissues.  Oxygenation rate is climbing as internal fluid circulation increases.  Induced electrocardiac stimulation values matching natural cardiac stimulations.  Process redundant, aborted.  Monitoring current basal values, resetting current values to base normal values.  Indications of independent awareness values are increasing to functional capacity.  Independent awareness processes are detected.  Normal biorhythms are confirmed.”

I couldn’t hear or see.  I seemed to sense intense dataflow networks and superstructured command interfaces.  Flows of hard light and data flooded my total awareness in a manner that only Hardcopy could emulate.  I floated in darkness, watching as the luminescent networks receded.  I seemed to be only aware of bright white light emanating from a spot just above my head.  My eyelids fluttered, trying to see what was happening.

The light coming from above my head was too bright to look at.  I tried to open my eyes to see something, anything more than the blinding glare that was the light at the end of my tunnel.  I found that I could think, but reason had no place in the present order of experience.  I thought of moving toward the glaring bright light.  That made little difference to the brightness I was facing, although I felt better for trying something to relieve my present circumstances.  I forced my eyes to open, squinting to see what the bright light was.  The light was too painfully bright.

“Turn off the lights!”  Like magic, the lights popped into completely black darkness.  I sighed with relief, thought for a moment about the nightmare of bright lights.  “Turn on dash lights to low setting.”  I could see the normal surround of the cockpit dimly lit by the colorfully glowing dash lights.  I felt it was an accomplishment to restore order in my artificial little world.

I monitored the settings of my Tactical Unit’s Life Support systems.  My breathing returned to a normally slow pace and my temperature had subsided to tolerable levels.  I seemed to have recovered from my ordeal caused by Hardcopy.  I resolved to be very careful when interfaced with Hardcopy.

I thought I had enough for one day, so I decided to end the interface mode of communication.  The Interface Personality had proved its worth as being a friend in unusual circumstances.  I was not about to pry into any further questions until I was more knowledgeable about Hardcopy’s capabilities and priorities.  With a short farewell, I left the secure confines of the Tactical Unit.  In a beam of blue laser, I returned my awareness to my natural body.  It had been sleeping peacefully against my favorite pine tree the whole time.  I roused up stiffly and made my way home.  An hour had passed in this communication period.

Now it was time for supper.  I didn’t feel well, hardly well enough to bear the thought of eating solid food.  It was suggested that I replace lost energy and nutrients and the thoughts of eating were reinforced for me.  It was highly unusual for me not to eat.  As I made my way back to my home, Sphere bathed me in blue healing light.

I was feeling pretty well by the time I opened the door to the kitchen.  My family was already seated and eating supper at the kitchen table.  As expected, I was severely scolded for my tardiness and lack of the barest of possible excuses for myself.  I hurried to my place and ate as much as I could.  After supper, I yawned and went straight to bed.  I was so tired that I smiled with the pleasure of my head making contact with my pillow.

During one of my interactive sessions with Sphere, I began learning lessons from actual experiences.  Sphere was in the process of trading information with me about various events and things that we both deemed worthy of our attentions during one particular session of interactive exploration.  One particular matter came to mind concerning posthumous awards for bravery and gallantry in the face of self-sacrifice.

I admitted that I considered myself to be neither brave nor gallant in the face of my own death.  In fact, I thought of myself as a bit of a coward in most dangerous circumstances.  I could think of more than a few times in my life when I was afraid.  My mind began to wander a bit before Sphere interrupted my thought processes with clarifications and definitions.

Sphere didn’t think of me as a coward by definition for the mere fact of realizing fear in dangerous circumstances.  I was too rational and logical in my thinking processes to let secondary factors prevent me from my established priorities under most reasonable circumstances.  Sphere investigated further to discover that there were notable exceptions to the rule in my own maintenance and fulfillment of primary priorities.

That fear could alter or prevent my primary course of action was an immediate concern to Sphere.  This fact inferred that I could not be relied upon to carry out my momentarily established priorities as befitting my personal status in times of extreme crises.  Sphere could determine no positive effect from allowing such an unpredictable trait in my personality.   This possible flaw in my personality had to be investigated and corrected in whatever manner possible.

It was only a matter of making a few determinations about my personality before the correcting processes could be initiated.  Sphere activated my maintenance programs and guided the alterations to both my mental and physical structures.  As quickly as the alterations were made, the results were tested and confirmed as activated values to redefine the parameters of my personality.  Almost imperceptibly, my personality altered to the new values.

The interactive session with Sphere evolved onto new topics of interest.  At the end of that session, I returned to my home.  During that evening at home with my family, and during the following day while at school, I noticed the reactions of others to the significant differences in my newly altered values of my personality.

After what seemed to me to have been a very long day, I renewed my interactive interface with Sphere.  There were the long moments taken to outline the parameters of the course of the session and to review the events of my terrible day.  Once again, the question of my bravery and gallantry in the face of self-sacrifice was asked of me.  And, again, I thought about the question momentarily before answering that I still thought of myself in the same manner as I had before.

Sphere rephrased the question to ask me if I could carry out my momentary priorities in circumstances of extreme stress or probable demise.  I thought for another moment and replied that I would still have emotions in a dangerous situation, possibly be afraid enough to freeze or not carry on with whatever had to be done at the time.

For the second time, Sphere activated my maintenance programs to revalue and confirm the parameters of my personality.  Then Sphere informed me of the changes in values and tried to infer what that meant for me in real terms. A short time of translation and demonstrations were necessary for me to understand the full implications of my alterations.

In too many instances, Sphere had interpreted my words to mean literal value instead of the inferred value I had intended.  As a precaution, translations of values and critical commands were confirmed by examples appropriately oriented, translated and defined.  One of the examples used by Sphere to define certain translations and values was a crash incident.

It was only in the interest of speculation that I was asked about what I could divine about the crash.  I started to say that it would be known as the incident that never happened.  With some clarifications, the crash incident was defined as the incident that never happened.  Well, the incident was an actual occurrence in remote desert.  Since date and time are of irrelevant value to me, I didn’t inquire as to the date or time of the actual incident.  Only certain specifics of the incident were offered to me for my perusal.

The exact date, time and circumstances of the crash incident are merely a matter of record.  The entire incident was recorded as part of routine monitoring of ships and their status while operating during missions to planet Earth.  Since the mission resulting in the incident was duly authorized and monitored, the facts of the circumstances spoke for themselves.

I was allowed to experience the last two minutes of the pilot of one of the ships involved in a collision.  With some adaptation and translations, I was able to fully experience and appreciate the circumstances of the pilot and his ship in an extreme state of distress.  Although I dare not begin to translate verbatim the entire context of commands and other complexities, I can try to outline briefly what transpired.  And, certain facts of the incident were not presented to me as a matter of access security.

The ship and its compliment of four crewmembers were in the process of accelerating at high velocity to leave Earth’s atmosphere.  The ship itself was starting to reconfigure and prepare for non-atmospheric travel.  The crewmembers were very busy with calculating and controlling the precise trajectory of the ship as it reached high altitude at standard escape velocity.  The mission was proceeding normally at this time.

At a great distance, an object was detected by the ship’s artificially sentient navigational system.  The object was determined to be on a vector that would bring it alarmingly close to the ship’s own trajectory.  The probabilities of determining the exact vector of the object were initially calculated and an updated correction of the vector was confirmed.  Since the process of calculating the probable vector and confirming with updated positional dataflows is a priority function, the actual calculations of the ship’s own vectors were temporarily suspended to allow the inclusion of the new dataflow of the fast approaching object.  Without critical navigational functions, the ship’s own course could not be maintained accurately at the time when the ship’s escape vector was being determined.

The Captain of the ship decided to momentarily suspend the inclusion of the approaching object’s precise velocity and relative position to the ship in order to concentrate on the priority of setting the initial escape vector.  Considerable amounts of computational resources were prioritized to the task of determining necessary course corrections as well as control the actual course of the ship.

A ship is purposefully complex and difficult to operate under normal conditions with a crew of five personnel specifically trained to their tasks.  The computational resources of the ship and crewmembers are normally shared on a priority-tasking basis.  At the same time, three priority taskings were vying for the same limited amount of computational resources available on board the ship at that time.

The ship was in the process of preparing for space travel and demanded a certain amount of computational resources for its own reconfiguration.  The ship’s navigational systems were demanding computational resources to predict the accurate course of the approaching high-speed object.  And, the crewmembers were using considerable computational resources to plot the exact course of the ship to its intended destination.  The total available resources of computational capability aboard the ship were not enough to satisfy the demands of the immediate situation.

The ship’s Captain inadvertently, but completely halted the ship’s navigational systems.  He tried to alleviate demands of the computational resources while the ship became unstable.  At the velocity that the ship was traveling, the loss of inertial stability is a serious factor.  The ship began to veer off its trajectory in an unsettling wobble.  Loss of the ship’s stability had an unnerving effect upon the crewmembers that were concentrating on the critical determinations of their intended course.  It became more difficult to control the ship and calculate course probabilities at the same time.

Only when the circumstances became unbearable, did the Captain change the priority tasking of his available computational resources to regain control of the vector of his ship.  It was then that the Captain realized that his navigational system had been completely halted.  In the face of the situation, the Captain suspended all computational resource tasking to allow his navigational system the chance to sort things out by itself.

The ship’s navigational system was reactivated to face new difficulties.  Instead of only having to calculate the course of the fast approaching object while in a stable vector, the navigational systems had to redetermine control of the ship, regain vector the ship for its intended destination, and search for the exact location of the high velocity object.  Operating according to prioritized tasking, the navigational system regained control and stability of the ship.  Then it calculated the exact course to its intended destination.  Finally, it began the search for the high-speed object it had been tracking.

The precise location of the object had been lost while the navigational system had been temporarily suspended.  Diligently, the navigational system searched for, located and determined the exact course of the approaching object.  A confirmation of the object’s trajectory verified that a collision course had been determined.

The navigational system activated a warning gong to indicate that a possible collision with the object was imminent.  At this point, the Captain asked for verification of the exact courses of both the ship and the object to confirm that a collision was imminent.  The navigational system began the specific priority tasking and at the same time activated the warning buzzer to indicate proximity alert of the approaching object.

Loud alarms and flashing lights!  There was a loud whump as the ship shook under a terrific impact.  At the same time, the interior lights of the ship began to flash brightly in red light to indicate that there had been a collision with the object.

Within a second after the collision, the ship lost its main propulsion system.  All power within the ship ceased.  The flashing bright red lights of the ship’s interior, the warning gong and the loud buzzer were replaced by darkness and silence.  The darkness ended when emergency lighting and power were activated while the silence continued. The only sounds were those of the Captain as he voiced commands to regain control of his damaged ship.

At the moment of the power failure, all priority commands and actions had been suspended.  Now it was a matter of regaining control of crucial computational resources enough to restart the ship’s main power.  Several attempts failed to regain main power.  Secondary emergency power was diverted into the computational resources.  Diagnostics and repairs were made to gain the best usage out of the trickle of available emergency power.

New priorities and commands had to be determined to replace the dataflows and processes lost during the power failure.  Damage reports indicated major structural failure and a steady loss of atmosphere from the lower level of the ship.  Priority commands were given to seal off the damaged compartment wall and to repair the outer shell of the ship.

The air thinned dangerously within the control compartment of the damaged ship.  Air leaks were sealed automatically to preserve the remaining atmosphere.  One of the crew was sent to the storage lockers for survival gear.  The survival units containing a short supply of breathable atmosphere were passed out to each of the crew.  Breathing was not such a difficult concern in the thin air of the control compartment.  Two crewmembers shared one of the survival units so that both could breath at least a little of the precious gases necessary for life.

Within two seconds after the collision, the computational resources operating on emergency power performed all of the necessary priority calculations.  The ship returned to a normal status of priority tasking before the Captain began to determine the physical status of his ship.

The damage report was a shock to the Captain.  His propulsion system was offline, his ship was holed and not capable of life support in space, and his crew was beginning to feel the effects of weightlessness and thinning of the atmosphere within the ship.

The Captain had a difficult choice to make in this dire circumstance.  He could simply drift out into space and hope for an unlikely rescue or he could crash his ship onto the surface of the planet and hope for a possible extraction mission to save his crew.  Either choice meant accepting unthinkable tragedy rather than going about the business of regaining reasonable control of his ship.

The Captain sat in his command position and thought about what he was going to decide. His ship had enough velocity to escape into space and probably maintain a high orbit around the Earth.  This choice would keep his ship intact at the loss of his crew, since there weren’t enough survival suits available in the ship’s stores.  The only sense to this choice was that at least the ship wouldn’t possibly fall into human hands.

The other choice available to the Captain was just as serious a possibility as the first choice.  The fact was that a ship on the planet represented a technological prize to the humans.  Those humans would dismantle and hide anything as valuable as even a damaged ship.  There was no telling what kind of incident that could result in.  It certainly wouldn’t be a laudable circumstance.

There was some likelihood that there would be survivors of the impending crash.  Those survivors could conceivably live for nearly four years on the available food resources in the ship’s storage.  In that time, there would be enough opportunity for some kind of rescue mission to be mounted.

The Captain decided that a chance for life on the planet was better than the instant death of space.  With great difficulty, the Captain reconfigured his ship to assume an atmospheric design.  This new configuration allowed the Captain a bit of control as the ship drifted down through the thin atmosphere at high altitude.

The ship began to drift off its course and wobble in its headlong plunge to Earth.  The wobble of the ship and its descent at between twenty and forty degrees made it very difficult for the crew to stay at their positions.  The reconfiguration of the ship would only begin to have effect at lower altitudes in denser atmosphere.  In the long moments until then, it was a difficult priority to hang on and endure the wild pitching and yawing of the falling ship.

It was a considerable task to determine the actual flight path of the falling ship accurately enough to plan a landing zone.  Atmospheric resistance affected the flight path, and wind conditions were enough to create and maintain a wobbling effect on the trajectory.  Little could be done to control the wobble of the trajectory.

At every gyration of the falling ship new probabilities of trajectory projection required updating calculations.  For long moments, the variables in trajectory prediction were too great to handle with enough accuracy to be reasonable.  At one moment the possibility of landing in the Yellow Sea off the coast of China was more likely than landing in the remote areas of the southern United States.  The effort of computing trajectory probabilities was temporarily suspended until accurate verifications could be made.  Without the full resources of the ship, the Captain had to do as much guesswork as possible.

Only when the ship’s wobble lessened could the crew keep their seated positions.  It was essential for the crew to affect the guidance of the falling ship as much as possible with what little emergency computational resources that were available.  All available computational resources were directed to the task of reconfiguring the damaged ship.  The processes were slow to respond to reshape the ship to its new outlines.

Priority commands were given to predict possible crash sites within the variables created by the erratic trajectory of the falling ship. Initial preparations for the inevitable impact were made, emergency routines were planned, and everything was readied for use.

All communications had ceased at the moment of the power failure.  Restoring the interactive communications to the ship’s Mission Controller and the rest of the interactive communication networks was a complex and energy consuming process.  The databurst of interactive communication was as informative as possible in the briefest of moments.   The actual transmission consumed a large amount of power from the emergency resources. The ship’s Mission Controller was informed of the collision incident and of the ominous circumstances.

The Captain decided to discontinue any further communications to his mission controller.  Instead, the Captain activated an emergency beacon that pulsed only the briefest of essential dataflows on a very low power consumption rate.  The Captain reflected upon the intense communication with his superiors until he noticed changes in the ship’s trajectory.

The ship began to drift off its course and wobble in its headlong plunge to Earth.  The wobble of the ship and its descent at between twenty and forty degrees made it very difficult for the crew to stay at their positions.  The reconfiguration of the ship only began to have effect at lower altitude in dense atmosphere.  In the long moments until then, it was a difficult priority to hang on and endure the wild pitching and yawing of the falling ship.  It was a considerable task to determine the actual flight path of the falling ship accurately enough to plan a landing zone.  Atmospheric resistance affected the flight path, and natural wind conditions, enough to create and maintain a wobbling effect on the trajectory.  Little could be done to control the wobble of the trajectory.

At every gyration of the falling ship new probabilities of trajectory projection required updating calculations.  For long moments, the variables in trajectory prediction were too great to handle with enough accuracy.  At one moment the possibility of landing in the Yellow Sea off the coast of China was more likely than remote areas in the southern latitudes of the United States.

Only when the ship’s wobble lessened could the crew keep their seated positions.  It was essential for the crew to affect the guidance of the falling ship as much as possible with what little emergency computational resources that were available.  Without the full resources of the ship, the Captain had to do as much guesswork as possible. Land masses were scanned from the ship’s memory resources. The possibilities of a crash site were plotted and after some difficulties, verified and confirmed.

It was apparent that the ship would be crashing down near a large center of human habitation.  Since this option was not acceptable to the Captain as a choice for the resting place of his ship, other crash sites were plotted and verified as alternatives.  It was unthinkable that the ship and its crew would be handed over almost completely intact to the humans.  With that thought in mind, the Captain verified that as much distance as possible would avoid all areas of human habitation.

As the Captain watched the main viewing screen, he reviewed the progression of events that culminated in his distressing situation.  All the while, the world before him loomed up to catch his damaged little ship, his crew and himself.  It would not be a positive statement in his personal records to have allowed his ship to be lost to this dangerous world.  What possible scenarios facing his return to an inevitable court martial left him with such dire thoughts that he refused to consider the matter at all.  It was enough to deal with the difficult circumstances of the present to the best of his abilities.  There was so little time left as it was and certainly none of it could be spared from any sort of wistful thinking.

The Captain continued to glance at the main viewing screens before him to see the land forms and oceans below his little ship.   The marks of human endeavors upon the planet’s vast surface became more apparent as the ship’s altitude dropped.  Only with great difficulty was the ship kept on a rough course to an intended destination, somewhere in the south central portion of the United States.

From high altitude, the distant views showed the clusters of small villages and towns that were interconnected by roads and other thoroughfares.  Such rural settings might have oddly pleased him in some fashion, but, definitely not now while he considered all of humanity as primitive bipeds waiting to scavenge what they could of his ship and crew.  With this thought in mind, the Captain rejected this rural countryside as a possible landing zone for his disabled ship.

The ship’s trajectory was not a stable descent through the atmosphere.  Severe buffeting by air turbulence and aerodynamic resistance of the ship’s changing shape made for a very rough few moments.  As quickly as possible, the ship altered its foreword profile to lessen the shockwave effects upon the ship’s base course and to reduce the rate of heat building up on the forward external surfaces.

The heat of the air within the ship began to increase to a dangerous level.  This directly affected the performance of the crew in their duties to control the ship and to make as much computational capability as possible for the ship’s own use.  Only when one of the crew assisting in providing computational capability had fallen out of position from the effects of the rising heat did the Captain decide to try to lessen the heat buildup on the surface of the ship.  Two other crewmembers half carried or dragged the unconscious one to the back of the control cabin of the craft.

The ship had minimized its reconfiguration to allow the crew to affect some direction of the course of the ship.  At this convenient moment, the ship interrupted all critical calculations to access computer resources essential in its controlled reshaping processes.  For long moments, the ship went about the reshaping and balancing of the ship to an efficient profile.  Slowly the heat effects from atmospheric resistance began to lessen. The two crewmembers resumed their positions as quickly as possible.

The Captain kept his eyes on the main view screen to see what kind of remote area he would be crashing into.  For all that he could see, the almost flat desert terrain stretched out in waves of browns and tans, edged by sharp rises of broken land.  The colors of desert flora gave way to patches of greenery around sources of water and thicker layers of soil.  In lower areas of flatlands, the greenery thinned and gave way to expansive areas of light colored land.

Ahead of the ship was a stretch of almost flat land.  A line of darker color denoted the presence of one of the smaller roads that gave access to the rural area.   A singular vehicle made its way along the road at a slow, steady pace.  Within moments It became apparent that two humans occupied the oddly shaped vehicle.  Almost instantly, the ship determined that the moving vehicle would intercept the intended course of the ship as it descended at high velocity towards an intended area of flat land beyond the road.

The Captain, as soon as he realized the danger of the situation, reacted as quickly as he could.  With the full assistance of both crew and the ship, a series of computations were plotted to guide the ship into a new course.  The unexpected demands of the moment were almost beyond the capabilities of the ship and its crew.

The ship lifted up for a moment before it resumed its glide path.  The high velocity and change in trajectory of the ship were managed at a greater cost.  The original glide path of the falling ship was intended to provide as smooth a contact with land as easily as possible.  The vector change meant that the imminent crash would be far more an abrupt stop than had been intended for the ship to make.  The ship began to reshape itself and otherwise prepare for the unexpectedly extreme deceleration forces to be encountered as the ship hit land.

The ship determined that there would be a poor chance of survival in the event of the expected conditions of the crash.  The Captain decided to take a chance of teleporting the entire crew off the ship as it approached its crash site.  The commands were given for the ship to teleport the crew off of the ship at the last possible moment to an open piece of land along the glide path.  Then, the ship would continue as long as possible to reconfigure itself as best it could for the impending collision with the land.

One moment the crew was sitting in their familiar positions aboard the ship.  The next moment, they were sitting in the air just above the ground.  It was determined to be a safety factor to do this so that none of the teleportees would emerge from the teleportation beam as part of the land.  Anyways, the height of their fall made little difference to their survival.  It was more than a bit of a bump to experience the falling aspect of their emergency escape from the doomed ship.

A few moments later, the ship impacted the land a short distance away from where the survivors had been ejected.  The sounds of the crash were very loud and shook the earth.  There was no explosion, although the tearing up of a large stretch of land erupted as the ship plowed its way to a stop.

The crew was badly shaken up by their unexpected arrival on the land of the planet.  In pain and hardly able to breathe, the Captain went about the business of checking everyone’s survival pack.  One of the crew had been unconscious for a long time now.  It was expected that he would not survive to be rescued.  As for the others, only time would tell.  The Captain settled everyone down for the arrival of either their rescue mission or the possibility of discovery by humans.

While my friend Sphere had played out the short scenario of the crashing ship, I had been noticeably affected both physically and emotionally by the experience of the Captain as he had lived it.  With all of the background data made available by Sphere’s access to pertinent information and effective capability in communicating to me, I was literally in the Captain’s place, experiencing his memories during the crash of his ship.  The intense emotions and reactions of the Captain were played out in my mind just as if I had actually been the Captain himself.

I was just as affected by the circumstances of the crash, as had been the Captain.  What I was made to realize was that the Captain had considered his ship lost as soon as he had known of the extent of the damage from the collision.  Inspite of the Captain’s own personal reactions to the incident, he had conducted himself in a most exemplementary manner as befitting his command.  He had quickly considered his options in an acceptably realistic fashion and went about doing his best to survive the grave circumstances he had found himself in.

Sphere went carefully through the events of the short scenario with my conscious awareness of the experience.  I was carefully monitored and measured for significances during the entire experience of the crash scenario.  At the conclusion of the intensely brief experience, Sphere confirmed that I had experienced the full emotional impact of the crash scenario.

I had reacted as any normal human would have when faced with similar circumstances.  While I had reacted physically and mentally to the experience, I was still as capable of confirming and of carrying out primary tasks as had the Captain had in the last minutes aboard his doomed ship.  As far as Sphere was concerned, I had passed my little test with flying colors.

That Sphere had made significant alterations to my personality and thought processes was an understatement.  For the next few days, Sphere would monitor, confirm and otherwise verify that my alterations were accomplishing the intended purposes of improving my personality.  Monitoring, tests, and verifications of all sorts were the significant part of my daily sessions with my friend Sphere for the next several days.  In conclusion, the amendments to the alterations and confirmations of certain aspects of my personality were successful enough to allow me to proceed onto new things.

Sphere and I discussed the possibility of Sphere monitoring what I did when I went to the Social Training Center of Education.  I laughed when it was recognized that the reference of the strangely titled place was Sphere’s interpretation of what was construed as school.  I was surprised that Sphere considered the possibility of attending school, especially when there was nothing that the school could possibly teach Sphere in any way.

Out of curiosity, I helped Sphere to explore the possibility of attending school.  I said that the teachers would be very angry with a pupil who did not wear clothes and who also happened to be as smart as Sphere was.  The teachers would probably not be able to teach Sphere anything but a bad time.  I liked Sphere too much to want Sphere to encounter an angry teacher.  However, Sphere did convinced me that the intended information gathering mission was of a certain priority, so I helped as best I could to plan a probable agenda for such a mission.

Daily encounters took place in discrete and secure circumstances.  I would go to the base of my favorite tree beyond the orchard of apple and prune trees behind our house.  Carefully I would rest myself in a sitting position while leaning up against the large tree trunk.  Almost as soon as I had made myself comfortable, taken three deep breaths and mentally prepared myself, my friend would appear and we would begin our initial interfacing sequence.

I would only see my friend appear momentarily at a position about three feet away from my head.  Sphere would make a preliminary greeting, initiate the access preparations for laser communication and establish the parameters of the daily session.  A thin blue line of laser light would focus on my forehead and then instantly my personality would be transferred into my artificial User Personality Interface laser access unit.  While my body slumped into deep rest, my mind soared into new dimensions and capabilities with the carefully monitoring assistance of Sphere.  After I had gained access to my User Personality unit, we would plan the course of events and duration for that particular session.

Sphere encountered innumerable difficulties while communicating directly with me.  The greatest problem that Sphere discovered about me was the speed at which I thought, converted those thoughts into words, and then formulated verbal response.   The whole process of my reaction and response was terribly slow and inefficient.  It proved a veritable handicap while directly communicating via laser link that needed instantly direct responses with no physical verbiage burdened by attendant physical responses.  Sphere had insufficient data to initiate any corrections of my physical difficulties.

Sphere undertook the task of analyzing my capabilities and my not so evident potentialities.  In view of the multiple complexities involved in the analytical process, Sphere had to determine base levels of my personal requirements and capabilities.   With this in mind, a significant portion of each interactive session was specifically prioritized to testing and research of my personal capabilities.  Results of my testing and relevant data were stored in a library of information that determined initial values for the activation of my User Personality Interface Access unit.  That way, all data and relevant information pertinent to me would be directly accessible without involving Sphere’s own extensive prioritizations and securities.

I knew nothing about the topic of personality beyond the fact that I knew who I was.  Sphere was curious to learn both how and why I had evolved personality as a product of capability and functionality.  Simple tests demonstrated that my awareness depended upon critical perceptions and specific mental processes that were sums of coordinated recognition and reaction.  The endless questions by Sphere were something I endured perfunctorily as required during each interactive session.  I had no idea of what progress was being made, only that my User Personality Interface Access unit became much more personal and comfortable as an aspect of my own capabilities and awareness during successive sessions.

The first day of school began much like any other normal day might have started.  Mom awakened me at about 6:00 am.  It was clear to me that I was very sleepy as I struggled to get myself out of the bed.  My sister in the next room was up and dressed before I managed to get a leg out of my bed.  It wasn’t so much that I enjoyed the feeling of being safe and warm under my covers as much as it was the fact that I had a great deal of difficulty in simply waking up enough to rise.

My costume of the day had been carefully planned so that meant that I had less fuss and muss about getting dressed.  Once dressed, we would take a turn in the bathroom to wash hands, face, feet, and teeth, before brushing out hair tangles.  Anyways, my sister and I soon sat at the kitchen table to eat our breakfast of hot porridge and milk.

I was still sleepy and yawning as I tried to eat my breakfast.  It took some effort to keep my spoon from missing my mouth.  After the fuss and muss of eating, there was a necessary cleanup.  Both my sister and I went to the bathroom to brush our teeth.  Mom had to remind us of the time we had to be at the schoolbus stop.  From then on, it was a rush of getting ready to go outside.  Coats on, with lunch bags and homework in hand, we prepared ourselves to leave for school.

I rushed outside to meet Sphere at the back of our house.  After a few moments of initial identification and access, I communicated with Sphere via laser link.  I helped Sphere review the events of the agenda that I could anticipate normally and made provisions so that almost any possibility could be avoided and or corrected.  We were so sure that there would be no trouble in going to school.

I walked from the back of the house where Sphere and I were talking.   Sphere went into invisible mode and followed at a closely protective position above and slightly behind my head.  Sphere followed me as I went to the schoolbus stop.  Everyone seemed excited to meet at the bus stop, yet dismayed by the prospect of going to school for another school year. Everyone kept glancing around while a little bits of chatter escaped from nervous but otherwise quieter than usual lips in the crisp coolness of early autumn morning.

None of the students said anything to me as I self-consciously walked up to take my place in the lineup to wait for the arrival of the schoolbus.  My sister was talking to one of her friends, but she stopped talking when I approached.  That was unusual for my sister to do.  She didn’t usually react to me as she did that early morning.  I was upset and wondered why everyone behaved so oddly at my approach.

I asked Sphere if there was any indication of unusual observations in the minds of the students at the schoolbus stop.  Sphere noted there were indications of an unusual observation.  I suggested to Sphere to alter the thoughts concerning the unusual observation in each individual’s mind on the schoolbus so that it would seem to be only sleepy fluid on the eyes of those who did see the blur in the air that was the only evidence of the presence of Sphere.

Sphere began to alter the unusual memories successfully without too much modification or trouble.  That was a successful ploy to disguise the presence of Sphere and to direct the attention of those at the schoolbus stop to more interesting directions.  I suggested several alternate disguises to be considered in dealing with body reactions by humans to the unusual sighting and the attendant human memories of the sighting.

I stood off to one side at a distance of about twenty feet from the others.  It was my only defense against the often-cutting remarks hurled in my general direction.  This morning, for some reason or other, I was left to my own silence.  I stared at the ground.  Every so often I would glance up furtively in the direction that the schoolbus would come.  I was bored, cold and miserable as I waited for the schoolbus to come along on its route.

Several cars passed by on the road going toward town.  Drivers and their passengers in the cars seemed not to notice anything unusual as they quickly passed by the gaggle of young students waiting at their schoolbus stop.   I had thought that so far, there wasn’t too much that had to be dealt with and there was still a probability of a successful mission.

One of the older students separated from the others, approached my in a very careful manner.  I could see fear in those young eyes fixed in a baleful countenance upon me.  I could see past the fear to the very thoughts of that person.  It was as if I could read every thought out loud as if it was being broadcast over a loudspeaker.  I was surprised by this kind of revelation concerning desperation and fear that I had invoked in another human being by the fact of my mere presence.

I gasped as I continued to read the other’s thoughts as they were forming, answering those thoughts as quickly as they were formed and perused countless other memories of that person at the same time.  A river of light flowed within my mind detailing memories, conditions and other specifically generalized information.  All the while, a body moved in fluid grace towards me in deliberate and conscious control.

Other awarenesses watched the mini-drama unfold as the teenage girl stalked towards me.  I became informed of those awarenesses in priority of attention, of actual distance away from me, and of possibility to represent threat to my personal safety.  I perused surface memories of those interested persons as I might have watched a series of commercials.  None of those individuals could pose an immediate physical threat to me.  None of those individuals could have possibly known of my extensive intrusions into their private and personal awareness.

I had previewed and reviewed several courses of action within a few short moments.  Possibilities and probabilities were mapped out in strategic relief.  I became bored and lacked concentration by the time the teenage girl began the primal mental processes of stopping her forward motion.  Her confrontational intentions were foremost in her mind as she intended to bully my much smaller and younger self into submissive supplication.  Intentionally, she gloated over past victories while she summoned her internal resources to direct her aggressive posturing.

The teenage girl was not prepared for the mental and physical onslaught emanating from an apparently unprepared younger person standing before her.  I had caught her mental processes in the act of walking, jumbled up her internal command structure and inserted a rather embarrassing memory from her earlier childhood.

The most immediate result was that she stumbled to a stop.  The jarring effect left her puzzled about her own mental processes while I consulted Sphere about what to do next.  I didn’t want to confront this aggressive person since I would surely lose any kind of pushing or prodding match.   Sphere abruptly informed me that I was more than capable enough to handle the situation that I was currently faced with.

The teenage girl regained confidence in her own mental processes to renew her intended confrontation.  I had no idea that she had meant physical harm to me, although Sphere anticipated the probability.  I was at a loss as to what to do about the whole situation.  My own reaction was to turn and flee from the obviously threatening girl who was twice my age and weight.  Sphere had immobilized me and patiently waited for my response to the situation.

It took a few moments for me to realize that the teenage girl just wouldn’t leave me alone or just go away.  I had to deal with her confrontation while the rest of the students at the bus stop looked on.  Sphere monitored my mental activity with interest.

After long moments of silence and confusion, I started to respond to the questions that the teenage girl had already formed in her mind.  I had to choose my answers carefully with Sphere’s approval.  My own opening line of verbal intent had contained the words fat and ugly.  Sphere indicated that those kinds of words were not conducive to the conversation so they were simply edited out of my flow of speech.  It took a few more tries of verbal rebuttal before Sphere allowed an actual conversation between the teenage girl and myself.

The actual conversation between the teenage girl and myself actually took less than a minute.  The result of the conversation was that I was momentarily amused.  I was also getting valuable experience in the handling of other people.

All of this was something that I simply had to go through to be a capable assistant to Sphere’s priority mission.  I felt better knowing that I had purpose and direction, along with Sphere’s fully interactive presence to safeguard the outcome of any possible situation.

The teenage girl found herself turned around and walking back to the group of onlookers.  Her frustrations were still foremost in her mind while she tried to deal with the context of the answers she had been given from me.  Something wasn’t quite right about the way her body seemed to pick up and continue a flowing rush of movement.  The teenage girl had to check her forward motion toward the group of bowling pins standing in her way.  Quietly, she settled herself into standing in position she had assumed before the beginning of the little incident.

The group of students gathered around the teenage girl.  A bit of talk ensued as the teenage girl answered questions.  It was soon apparent that something was still amiss with the situation.  The group was behaving as if there was something wrong, and that wrong was strongly associated with me.  I was curious about the group of students, although only a short time before they had so disdainfully regarded me.

Sphere moved to a stationary position over the heads of the little group.  In total control, Sphere began to explore the memories of each student.  Only then did Sphere discover some interesting facts.  Everyone at the schoolbus stop had known about Sphere beforehand.

I had been often seen in the company of Sphere as I hiked or rested at my usual place.  Certainly the sight of me in company of Sphere had caused unusual concerns.  But, in my case, it seemed that I had found and invisible friend to play with.  The only differences were that my friend was not so invisible most of the time and that I wasn’t considered a child small enough to have an invisible friend.  As far as everyone was concerned, it was apparent that I did have a friend of some sort.  How else could the friend be explained as being so out of the ordinary in so many ways.

Sphere informed me that there were the makings of an undesirable sighting incident in progress at the schoolbus stop.  It was now known that the blur of invisibility used to hide Sphere was an ineffective disguise at close range for the definitely metallic globe.  This revelation necessitated an immediate review of primary plans of action and response.  Until certain determinations could be made, the mission would be postponed for a more favorable time.  And at the moment, time was a major factor.  We simply didn’t have time enough to reassess our plans and priorities of the mission while waiting for the arrival of the schoolbus.

The schoolbus had been enroute to our present location for almost an hour and a half.  At the present moment, the schoolbus was stopped at a designated loading zone about a mile away.  With only one more stop to go, the schoolbus was almost filled to its maximum carrying capacity.  It had been an adventure of sorts for the first run of the season.  The most memorable event was a wrong turn on the maze of roads that crossed two mountains to the north and east of town.

The driver of the schoolbus and his passengers were in a high state of awareness and excitement.  The adventure of enduring the long ride was a novelty.  Friendships and cliques formed quickly as the students whiled away the time.  Most of the talking that went on concerned the new friendships at a volume acceptable to the seasoned schoolbus driver.

Sphere and I became aware of the stares of the students standing at the schoolbus stop.  With eyes as open as mouths, each and every one at the schoolbus stop was in visible shock at the sight of Sphere in close contact with me.  The thin blue laser beam that linked Sphere to me directly was clearly visible.  And, so was the metallic curvature of Sphere’s outer surface.  I was surprised and embarrassed that those students could see me communicating directly with Sphere.

Sphere interrupted my thought processes to deal with the situation unfolding before us.  One of the older students happened to be in the process of making an escape.  With limbs moving at a furious rate, the student ran for his life.  The rest of the group simply stood in shocked disbelief.

Sphere moved at the speed of light to suddenly appear directly in front of the runaway human.  Direct control of all mental processes was instantly established and the runner froze in midstride.  Forward momentum was unchecked so that the runner suddenly met the ground.  His consciousness fled more in shock from hitting the ground so violently than from the control of Sphere invading his deepest thoughts.

Freed from the priority task of controlling the escaping human, Sphere moved instantly to a position above the heads of the group of students still standing at the schoolbus stop.  Direct control of the group was initiated to interrupt all mental activity.  The students were frozen into their positions.  The students didn’t waver or move, all breathing stopped.  It was a curious sight for me to see such a thing.

One by one, each individual human mind was explored, monitored and edited of any memories pertaining to the sighting of Sphere.  All the while, Sphere communicated to me, advising me of possibilities and probabilities concerning the management of specifically targeted memories.  Two of the students had been subjected to the extensive memory editing processes before Sphere determined a priority of updating a concurrent dataflow library.  For me this meant a break in the intense concentration demanded of me to mentally control the ongoing memory management while Sphere devoted all available computational resources to the priority task.

At a loss for what to do at the moment, I began to walk toward the frozen group of students.  As I approached, I noticed that all faces were tinged a deep Blue.  I couldn’t think why faces would be blue except in instances of suffocation.  At that realization, Sphere concluded priority tasking and began to explore the cause of the blue faces.

Sphere made a determination that the initial commands to the humans had prevented all motor skills of the brains of the students to be deactivated.  That simple form of command had been given to all of the humans in the immediate area. Without motor reflexes from the individual brains, all breathing processes had been summarily halted.  The affected humans were almost to the point of ceasing vital functions caused by the cessation of all subconscious mental processes.

As quickly as we could manage, Sphere and I revived the suffocating humans.  Surprisingly, the most seriously affected human was the runaway student.  He was in a high state of physical activity when his metabolism stopped.  The result was a significant amount of damage to critical tissue areas of both his body and brain.    It was very difficult and complex to determine reasonable biological factors of the quickly deteriorating human.  All the while, the human brains functioned, reasoned, but could not act.

It is a curious thing to access a frantic mind in a body that refuses to move at all.  The sense of reasoning determines that an extraordinary event is taking place while the body simply fails to respond to any sort of voluntary or involuntary commands from the brain’s awareness.

The personality still reasons, still is aware of the present surroundings and is cognizant of the ongoing circumstances.  Momentary mental activity peaks with frustrated desperation as the body tries to react to the agonizing sense of suffocation.  The normal coping mechanisms of the personality cannot understand the reason for such physical inactivity despite the extreme level of mental agitation.

The nightmarish experience is certainly real enough, and escalates into a state of insanity.  The personality begins to disintegrate as it flees to new areas where it hopes to affect at least some part of the unresponsive body.  A short period of this seriously active desperation is sustainable before permanently irreparable damage is caused.  The virtual personality limitations of these immobile humans had been reached.

Sphere determined that it would be literally impossible to repair the extensive damage suffered by these immobile humans.  To me, this was not an acceptable result of the day’s events so far.  I asked if there was any way to determine the human values from previous monitoring dataflows.  Sphere found that there were sufficient resources to determine the critical human values immediately prior to the inception of the immobilizing commands.  The best of the selected dataflow values were determined as an overall average and confirmed as valid standards for each individual human.  The ‘new’ values were superimposed over the presently unacceptable values.  Hopefully, the product would be normally functioning humans.

Sphere went about the processes of resetting the humans to the new values.  As soon as each human had been programmed, a new and far less restrictive immobilization command was tailored and directed to each individual.  Everything seemed to be going well enough until it came to the management of the runaway student.

The runaway student was not as easy as the others to reset.  The predicted values were not what would have been expected as normal values for a human.  The body retained an abnormally high amount of adrenaline and other activating agents within the blood system even though the mind had reset.  Some adjustments were made to the overall values to be superimposed over the mind of the prone student.  His level of awareness had deteriorated to the extent that all he could perceive was a suffocating darkness at the least conscious state of existence.

As soon as Sphere had reset the prone human, he was released into a mildly restricting state of immobility.  The body of the prone student remembered that it was in the act of full flight, of running as fast as it was possible to go.  The mind, having been reset and allowed some minor capabilities of movement, also remembered that there was definitely some valid reason to be in the act of running.  Like a coiled spring, the student leaped up and started off in the direction he had been going.

Sphere and I were both happy about the fact that the student had been successfully revived, but dismayed by the apparent failure to control the human accurately.  Sphere suggested that the best idea was to allow the human to normalize himself until his body readjusted to the programmed values.  Sphere did not want to try to reset the values that the human had been programmed with.

I suggested that it would be better if the escaping human were to run backwards so as to keep him in close proximity.  Sphere made a command adjustment and the student instantly began to retrace his steps at a run.  Quickly, the running student burned off the stored energy and biomass caused by the act of running.   Sphere monitored the entire process as closely as possible.

Surprisingly, the management of the running student failed to take into account an important factor.  The estimated time for the student to return to normal was about two and a half seconds.  The distance to the immobile group of students standing at the schoolbus stop was about to be crossed in slightly over a second and a half.  The resulting collision was not much different than a bowling ball knocking over bowling pins.

Everyone went crashing down, me included.  I couldn’t believe Sphere had let such a thing happen.  Sphere informed me that I was the one in control, and that I was the one who had let the unfortunate situation to occur.  Sphere and I had a long communication while the scattered humans returned themselves to their original positions.

As I was getting up from the ground, I noticed the bright chromium yellow of the schoolbus as it rounded a bend of the road about a block away.  My first thought was, “Oh no, the schoolbus is here!”  I asked Sphere if there was any way we could all be ready in time to board the schoolbus in a normal fashion.  Sphere determined that it was simply impossible to do all of the necessary things to prepare the students as intended.  I said that the schoolbus had to be delayed or stopped as long as necessary.  Sphere moved to a position directly above the driver as he sat in the schoolbus.

The big chromium yellow schoolbus rounded a turn on its way to the last pickup point on its long run of the morning.  The experienced driver looked ahead to see the gang of students standing at the last schoolbus stop.  Inexplicably, the driver slammed on his brakes and screeched to a stop.  The engine of the schoolbus clanked to a stop moments later.  Everything was quiet.

Sphere kept monitoring the mind of the schoolbus driver.  It was determined that something unusual had been seen at the next schoolbus stop.  But, the driver couldn’t quite think of what was so out of place.  It was of immediate concern that none of the humans on the schoolbus would look in the direction of the next schoolbus stop.  Sphere moved to make a direct laser link to every mind on the schoolbus.  In invisible waves of light, everyone was commanded to refrain from looking in the direction of the next schoolbus stop.  The commands seemed effective, as all the humans remained seated where they were and could look anywhere except straight ahead in the direction of the next schoolbus stop.

Sphere returned to a position directly over the group of students waiting at the last schoolbus stop.  At exactly the same point in our communication, Sphere began to review the progress of events.  Carefully, we went over all of the dataflows and discoveries of the morning.  In detail as necessary, we planned and confirmed probabilities of courses of action and processes to be initiated to control any humans in the event of their sighting Sphere and I as we went about our mission.  When that had been planned to our satisfaction, Sphere returned to the processes of editing the memories of the students standing at the last schoolbus stop.

The processes of editing the memories of the students at the last schoolbus stop became more complex.  New alterations of the memories were attempted and confirmed or not.  A simple trial and error method of fixing minds with generalized commands was not the most efficient way to handle the complexities of human minds.  Eventually the mistakes were corrected as new personality values and attendant memories were created.

It was one thing to create specifically tailored memories and personality values for a few humans already under direct control.  It was another thing to try to generalize and control humans at a distance and under various sets of circumstances.  In trial and error, Sphere determined generalized commands that would be most likely to be effective on humans during inevitably new encounters.  When Sphere and I were familiar with what to do and what to expect, Sphere released the humans onboard the schoolbus from the subconscious commands that had been given to them earlier.

The late model schoolbus started up, gears clashed as it came roaring along the road and screeched to a stop.  The big doors opened and everyone at the schoolbus stop hurriedly climbed onto the schoolbus.  I picked a seat at the back of the schoolbus and sat near the window.  Everyone was talking at once about all the things young people do find worth talking about.  I thought I would be unnoticed as I communicated with Sphere via the laser link.  And, at the moment, it wasn’t really an important consideration to me whether or not I had been unusually noticed by anyone.

There were a number of students on the schoolbus who did notice the blur in the air above me as the schoolbus approached the last schoolbus stop of the route.  I suggested that Sphere delete the unusual thoughts in the minds of those on the schoolbus who had been able to detect anything of the blur that Sphere was creating to hide in. Sphere immediately went about the task of altering the memories in the minds of those who had seen something unusual.

In place of the memories of the unusual sighting of Sphere, the specific memories were masked by a more acceptable kind of memory denoting sleepiness of the eyes.  A verification of the new memory’s acceptance without any mental conflicts confirmed that the overall method of handling the unusual memories was initially correct.  I was pleased at the momentary success of my own intervention into something as complex as another individual’s memories.

The procedures of memory alterations had been assumed to be simple enough to do.  Although intricate details of the controlling computational routines had previously been established, there were nominal amounts of Sphere’s computational abilities devoted to the singular task of human memory editing.  A basic program was evolved to seek out the indications of unusual brain activity in a subject human.  Then, a program of editing the human clusters of memories related to the unusual sighting took mental control of the human subject.  The identified clusters of memories would be split from the mainstream of memories and tagged to a significant memory block in such a way that it could no longer be called up as a single true memory. Essentially the tagged memories were as good as lost or forgotten from the conscious mind.

A chain of memories that cannot be directly accessed by the conscious brain can be maintained indefinitely although the associations of memory have long been forgotten.  Sometimes these chains of broken memories connect with conscious thoughts and surface into realization as dreams or altered mental states of consciousness.  Daydreams and nightmares are good examples of the process of thoughts gathering until significant connections allow the conscious mind to access that relevant information.

The processes of recall in humans involve body signals and mental thought processes too complex to defeat in any single way, but the purpose of the recall could be altered to follow specific memory routes while avoiding certain memory blocks and attendant memory chains.  Actually, the unusual memory would still be fully retained with complete clarity, but any particular memory associations could not access it.  The effect on the human subject was to forget the unusual sighting of the blur in the air that hid Sphere.

The schoolbus roared along its route to the first school drop. As the schoolbus made its way into the town, there arose a serious and vast problem of complexity that had not been considered.  As the number of people in cars and on the streets along the schoolbus route became aware of the blur in the air following the schoolbus, the problem for Sphere to detect and modify the memories of the random people who saw the blur became so complex that Sphere could no longer deal effectively with the individuals and their attentive memories.  Far too many people had to be dealt with by the careful memory alterations of Sphere.

The ideal was to deal with one or two people in the processes of memory alteration.  But, this had become a problem involving literally hundreds of random minds of varying complexities.  Almost reluctantly, Sphere conceded that literally it had bitten off more than it could chew all at once.

As Sphere became overburdened by its priority tasking, there appeared to be failures in the complex web of electromagnetic energy that concealed the presence of Sphere.  Sphere became more visible to greater numbers of people and could not even attempt to control the spreading shock wave of physical reaction and attendant memories.  Each case of a human sighting the blur controlled by Sphere had to be managed uniquely.  The mental control and mind manipulations of electromagnetic energy memories of each human were so involved and complex that Sphere could be literally forgotten as quickly as it was seen.

Sphere’s priorities of tasking became so overloaded that a necessary downloading of task priorities became necessary. In a few seconds, Sphere predicted momentary failure of priorities to occur resulting in the failure of the intended observation mission.  Sphere didn’t know how to deal effectively with the mounting levels of priority computations and controlled electromagnetic actions necessarily directed at the random people who had detected the slight blur in the air following the old schoolbus as it trundled along its route.
In desperation, I began to make suggestions to attempt to control the computational patterns of the priority tasking programs of Sphere.  What seemed to be an impossible task was the magnitude of control needed by Sphere to direct alterations of memories in human subjects without the overall loss of control of the entire situation.

I suggested tagging human subjects for memory editing at a later and more convenient time as circumstances would allow.  That seemed to be the answer to the incredible problem encountered by Sphere in dealing effectively within the presented time limits of individual encounters and or observations of the unusual blur in the air.  Other priorities were simply deleted and or briefly suspended until a more opportune time for them was available.  Soon enough, Sphere was able to emerge from the computational dilemma into a better status of operational capability.  There had been simple tests of such situations, but Sphere was not prepared for the possibility of such an occurrence.

The old schoolbus made its rounds to the several school unloading zones on its route.  At each stop, Sphere waited for each student to emerge from the schoolbus before initiating its memory alterations of the students.  At the first school bus unloading zone, all went smoothly and quickly as had been planned.  At the second school bus unloading zone, Sphere experienced a few problems of minor difficulty.  With a bit of help from me, Sphere was able to sort things out as was necessary and effect a complete restoration of the students to a normal state of mental activity without memories of something strange happening.  At the third school bus unloading zone, the routine was so easy for Sphere to follow that there was almost no help from me.

The fourth school unloading zone incident was an entirely different matter. The old schoolbus pulled into the last school bus unloading zone at the end of a line of school buses.  There were hundreds of students in varying sizes of groups amassed in the vicinity and certainly in plain view of the schoolbus at the end of the line.

This was a terrible situation for Sphere to control and maintain invisibility in so conspicuous a manner as blur in the air above the schoolbus.  Through the laser communication link with Sphere, I was able to sense or read all of the minds of all the students who were in the immediate vicinity of the school bus unloading zone.  I was apprehensive about the situation, but I decided that the show must go on and this mission had to continue.

Sphere maintained a position slightly above the roof of the schoolbus over the seat where I was.  As I got up and moved along the length of the schoolbus, Sphere maintained its relative position above me.  As I emerged from the old schoolbus, Sphere took up a defensive position slightly above and behind my head.  I decided to move quickly from the unloading zone to a much safer position beneath one of a row of tall maple trees nearby.

I kept a careful watch for anyone who might move in my direction as if to attack.  Nothing of the sort could occur, but I was just as worried as Sphere was about controlling the large number of students in the area.  I continued to sense the mind workings of all the students.  Some were almost screaming mentally about the blur in the air slightly above me.  Others seemed to be more in control, and only murmured to the effect that something strange was now happening before their eyes.  The grumbles quickly escalated into a loud roar as I mentally tried to keep advised of the total mental state of the crowd of shocked students.  The incident was almost verging into a riot status as the awareness of the students realized that there was definitely something strange going on.

Sphere decided to move to a more strategic and less conspicuous position in some thick foliage of a row of trees bordering the north side of the school bus unloading zone.  I moved into a position directly beneath the branches of the tree in which Sphere had hidden.  As quickly as possible Sphere began to run its evolved programs designed to control the memories of the students who had seen the blur in the air above the old schoolbus and definitely above me as I walked over to the row of maple trees.

There were simply too many students for Sphere to control effectively.   As soon as a number of students were edited, others beside them who had not been controlled mentally would alert the controlled students to the strange sighting.  The controlled students would then remember the memories concerning the sighting of the blur hovering over the schoolbus and evidently over me as I walked to my position beside the trees.  Sphere would have to re-access the memories of the unusual incident taking place in order to effectively remove any connections to the resulting memories of the original memories and body reactions.

It was like watching waves on a beach as Sphere attempted to control the individual memories of the mass of students.  In one moment, a student would begin to open a mouth while forgetting to scream.  In another moment the same student would try to turn and run away, while forgetting to start the mental processes for actually taking the steps to initiate the intended motions.  It was a flurry of furtive movements and dismayed reactions that rippled through the crowd of amazed students.

Eventually Sphere gained ground in its ominous task of editing memories of the crowd of students.  Almost forty minutes were devoted to the singular task of controlling the immediate crowd of students.  Another fifteen minutes were consumed in the task of editing the significant memories of the student gathering which related to the sighting of the unusual blur in the air.  Another ten minutes were devoted to the task of tagging passersby and nearby residents who were confused by the strange goings on at the high school unloading zone.  At a more convenient time in the future, Sphere would find and edit the memories in the minds of those it had tagged.

Sphere was not happy to realize so much effort had yet to produce the desired effect of gaining access to the inside of the building of socially oriented, educational programs.  Sphere observed that humans were indeed truly gregarious and specialized in social conventions of behaviors.  Sphere considered it remarkable coincidence that humans had evolved their gregarious individuality and spirit in a system of education biased and rooted in forced behaviors.  I laughed at the appreciation of what it was to be like to be in school while living in a country that espoused the fundamentals of personal freedom and democracy.

I became aware of the group reactions and associations of memories through the monitoring of the student minds as Sphere literally walked through the clouds of biologically originating electromagnetic activity.  How awesome it was to experience completely total mind control and thought reading as Sphere made its capabilities available for my own interests.

I could read anyone’s mind as clearly as if I had experienced the actual significances personally.  Some minds were rather precocious while others were more immature in life.  A few minds had experienced rather significant episodes during their short lives thus leaving the personality altered from normal patterns.  Those kinds of minds were permanently altered, scarred by experiencing the terrible states of emotions.

Sphere was well into winning the battle against the crowds of students.   I thought of trying to help those unfortunate young minds.  I asked Sphere to try to help those minds that had undergone such terrible times so that there could be some hope for them to return to a normal life.  Sphere did help some of the students considerably enough to allow them to function as normally as possible.  It wasn’t a question of doing what was right or wrong as much as it was to do what it was that was necessary to help the students to function more normally and therefore in more predictable patterns for Sphere to anticipate as well as control their actions.

I became bored with standing in the same place for as long as I did, and mentally exhausted from all the mental activity I was going through.  I decided that as soon as Sphere had accomplished its task of editing memories, I would move to a more ideal location until school could actually be allowed to start.

At about nine thirty AM, I left the safety of the trees and walked along the east side of the school to the main entrance to the south east corner of the building.  Sphere remained in the tree while it continued to perform all of its evolved programs and tasks.

I walked to a point about half way along the east side of the school building.  Several trees were spaced out along the wall of the building.  I felt tired so I went to sit at the base of one of the maple trees.  Sphere continued to communicate with me as I tried my best to keep up with the demands placed upon me.  I found it hard to concentrate as intensely as I was required to do while Sphere followed my directions.

The people nearest the school, were the first to have their memories scanned and where memories of the incident were evident, deletions were made.  Sphere evolved exact methods of controlling the processes of the formidable task and soon did not need my advice to continue spontaneously.  The formidable task took almost a month of hard work by Sphere to complete all the necessary memory scans of all those who were present and of all those who actually saw something unusual that morning when school started.  Sphere was not happy about the whole thing for a long time afterwards, but Sphere did manage to learn more than had been intended about human behavior and especially the facts of school.

Sphere had been observed while accompanying me to school by thousands of individual humans.  Each human had observed and recorded in their memories, certain aspects of the incident.  Sheer numbers of people had exceeded Sphere’s capability to manage directly during the course of the mission.  As an alternative control plan, Sphere tagged each individual observer for future reference and subsequent memory editing.

All the while, the incident continued out of control.  By this point in the mission, there were thousands of people who had seen Sphere directly and thousands more who had been secondarily affected by those specific observations.  Sphere was faced with the clandestine task of editing all memories of the incident from all of the people involved in the original incident.

It was a simple thing for Sphere to determine the parameters of undertaking such an enormously complex task.  It was another thing entirely to search out all tagged humans involved in the original incident, delete and otherwise edit their memories of the original incident and repair the subsequent alterations to their lives.  Most of the humans were relatively stable and consciously unable to accept the ramifications of the unusual incident in their lives.  Other people were highly mobile and talked of the incident to other people.  Word of the incident spread quickly beyond the boundaries of the small town.

During the original incident, Sphere had maintained direct laser link to me.  We conversed our thoughts at the speed of light concerning the momentary priorities of tasking and objectives of the ongoing mission.  As the mission progressed and tagging of individuals increased, it became almost impossible for Sphere to keep up with the ominous computational workload.

Completely overburdened by priority computational tasking, Sphere asked me for suggestions.  I was confused at first.  It was simply too much for me to fully comprehend the extent and enormity of the priority taskings that Sphere had to perform accurately, with sufficient checks and verifications, to manage the scope of the incident as it unfolded.  Only by diverting considerable computational resources could Sphere begin to clarify and verify my understanding of the situation.  Only when I completely understood the situation could I offer any sort of worthwhile advice to Sphere.

My first suggestion was to reorder priorities of internal priorities of Sphere’s own computational capabilities to deal with the most immediate tasking of controlling humans.  My second suggestion was to tag all suspect humans for possible and probable memory editions and manipulations at convenient opportunity in future.  The third suggestion was to search out alternate computational resources to be included into the mission priorities on a temporary basis.  This suggestion led to the fourth suggestion of altering the original mission priority and objectives to better reflect momentary progressions in the evolution and management of the unfolding incident.

Sphere considered my suggestions and evolved priority possibilities into immediate probabilities and scenarios.  Refinements of my suggestions were clarified and incorporated into a new mission outline.  As the original plan of the mission evolved, new parameters and resources were temporarily diverted for use by Sphere.

My own authorization access was instantly upgraded as necessary to authorize the acquisition of new resources and computational capability for my own momentary priorities under the dictates of my own mission.  I became a fully designated, duly authorized Field Commander and Authorized User for the immediate prioritizations of the mission.

For a long instant, I enjoyed the thoughts of ceremonial presentations and conferring of capabilities for my User Personality Access unit.  Momentary thoughts of ceremonial significance flashed vividly into my mind until at the completion, diverse menus of courses of action and various options were prominently new priority taskings, all the while considering alternatives and options of diverse significance.  My experience of the moment was almost overwhelmingly glorious.

Somehow, I kept to my original purpose simply by maintaining my priority tasking lists.  It was so easy to follow directions, as my thoughts became activators. I could only guess at what command structures were evolved instantly to summon up and manage incredibly vast resources of sheer computational power.

In a matter of nanoseconds, my tasking priorities were examined, considered, and evolved to the best possible of outcomes within the present circumstances.  Only a matter of applying presently available resources could evolve all circumstantial possibilities from dire consequences into more advantageous probabilities.  The summation of my conferred capabilities, purposes, and intentions were adapted to my awareness before I was returned to the familiarity of my original user personality interface as maintained by Sphere.

Sphere took many queues from my awareness directly.  Most of the people, who had somehow sighted Sphere during the original incident, were to be handled efficiently by Sphere’s own internal parameters and computational capabilities.  Only the sheer magnitude of continuously evolving computational taskings led to the ineffectiveness of Sphere in the first place.  There were simply too many people to control in an increasingly larger area.

For a short time Sphere attempted to relay excessive amounts of raw dataflow computational taskings to a mission craft holding its position not too far away, and to me.  When the computational dataflow capabilities of the singular craft were exceeded, the craft relayed the overflow to another mission craft in the distance.  This led to serious problems with the internal logistics of the continuously evolving parameters of the primary computational taskings.  Sphere soon informed me of the impractical solution due to the present lack of available computational resources.

Out of curiosity, I asked just how much computational dataflow resource would be needed for the present priority tasking lists.  Sphere sat idle for a few moments before giving out an irrelevant number.  I had no idea of the volume involved, only that there was a decided shortage of capability and power.  Sphere tried for an instant to download a dataflow of translations, explanations and other pertinent information.  It was considered a joke by Sphere that I could not grasp what was being explained.

Carefully, Sphere explained the situation.  A dataflow of summaries, computed probabilities and other statistically pertinent information flowed in the laser link to me.  Sphere explained what was needed to solve the dilemma before it and prompted me further to provide adequate assistance for its immediate priority taskings.  While I hesitated momentarily, Sphere assured me that I would be guided and protected as necessary during my personal interactive involvement.  So assured, I requested confirmations and accesses as I was directed.  To me, it only meant that I had to follow the beams of laser dataflows to their sources and interact effectively enough to achieve what was expected of me.

By using my own personal authority and commands, I requisitioned more craft to the site of the original incident.  Within a matter of minutes, four craft in all started appearing at a convenient location on a mountain top to the south of the little town.  A thick wall of fog formed around the craft as an unexpected result of the craft dropping in directly from the cold of space into the warm atmosphere.  The density of the fog was sufficient to hamper essential laser communications from Sphere to the craft.  The fog dissipated quickly with the help of phaser (sound) waves generated by the craft.  All the while, bright laser links connected me to Sphere, then on to the hovering craft off in the distance above the treeless mountaintop.

Sphere continued to apply the same methods of controlling and tagging the residents of the little town.  At convenient moments, Sphere would freeze a human, review their basic memory structures, edit all pertinent memories and resolve any outstanding conflicts within the awareness structures of that person.  The entire process could be done successfully and verified later, in a matter of minutes.
On a scale that would affect thousands of people, the process would simply take a numerically significant amount of resources and its application.  While the entire process was initially computed to take a matter of four years, had been shortened to a matter of eight months or so.  I considered the length of time to be totally unacceptable.  In a moment of command communications with ‘computational sentients’, I increased the priorities of the original mission to include such resources as would conclude the matter within a sufficiently reasonable time period.

As soon as the priority of the mission was confirmed, a rather significant undertaking began.  Two giant Motherships moved into a geostationary position above the site of the original incident at a perilously close altitude.  The Motherships, not designed for atmospheric maneuvers, ventured only as close to the planet as they dared.  The four craft hovering on the mountaintop were soon joined by a host of little globes.  Those little lights were remote controlled sentient units activated from weapons status to this new purpose of dealing with the human population.  The four craft became the main laser link for all continuously evolving computational taskings and remote sensing.  A bright grid of laser links was established above the town and out into the countryside.

A massive invasion of little globes and laser links formed at strategic points to form a net of laser communications.  Under Sphere’s guidance, the little globes moved into position, laser linked up to human individuals, and began to communicate through the networks formed by the hovering craft to the Motherships in their high, geostationed position.  Everything seemed to be working as well as was anticipated.

Expeditiously, Sphere moved about, tagging and summarily controlling the people who had been involved directly in the original incident.  There were cases of people who did not or could not respond to the initial controlling techniques used by Sphere.  Various forms of latent hypnosis and maser stun were the most effective and efficient tools of controlling the human population.  Where these techniques were not at all sufficiently effective, Sphere would confer with me via laser link directly to deal with the momentarily immediate situation.  In this way, all people involved in the original incident were tagged, edited, and returned effectively to their normal routines.

One slight oversight became apparent, almost immediately.  There was a steady flow of traffic into and out of the area of the little town.  What should be done to either control or to stop the normal traffic?  The clearly visible network of laser beams disturbed the people in their vehicles.  It looked as if some monstrously giant, high tech spider had laid its web over the whole town and surrounding countryside. Some people had managed to turn their cars around to flee at great speed away from the horrifying sight.

I was busy with Sphere at the time, answering priority questions and somehow maintaining control of the mission.  Now, with far more capability and resources, Sphere was confident that a successful control of the original incident could be maintained.  I thought there might yet be a successful conclusion to this unfolding nightmare.

I was interrupted by Sphere to be informed that there were escaping humans.  I had to pause, escaping humans?  Why and where were the escaping humans?  Could they not be controlled?  In a stream of questions I learned the circumstances of another newly evolving incident to the north of the small town.  While the fact that humans were escaping the extensive controls of the aliens had some amusement for me, the situation was not so laughable.

Strategically, there were five main roads leading to the town.  Primary traffic flowed from north to south and or to the east on two lane paved highways.  In all, several hundred vehicles of various sizes were entering or leaving the area by one route or another.   That is, until the original incident began in earnest.

Most of the people in the fleeing vehicles had witnessed something of the four saucer craft taking up their position above the mountain to the south, forming of the laser networks, the movements of hundreds of little globes along those laser thin lines of light, and the overall effect upon the humans of the little town.

While my immediate reaction was to ensure that all humans were tagged for later memory editing, other thoughts came to mind.  I browsed several menus of various options and selected what I thought were adequate responses to the new circumstances.  Surveys were composed and edited, transmitted to a specific workforce of little globes.  The little globes went out and surveyed the traffic at distances of ten, twenty and fifty miles.   Humans at those distances were tagged, examined for specific memories and mental contradictions concerning unusual sightings and left to go about their way for the moment.  Unknowingly, a flurry of secondary incidents and sightings were caused by the ineffective control capabilities of the little globes.

It wasn’t a surprise that even at a range of fifty miles there were humans with clear memories of the original incident having taken place.  This led to alternate plans for controlling humans at greater distances of fifty miles, one hundred miles and three hundred miles from the little town.  Within nanoseconds, dataflows of statistical analysis began to indicate the true extent of the original incident.

With Sphere’s help, corrections and translations of my intentions were made, verified and sent on to the saucer craft, who in turn, transmitted my commands up to the Motherships.  The Motherships computed the most effective alternatives to my intentions and beamed back instructions to the saucer craft controlling the main workforce of little globes.  The little globes went on about their business as remote extensions of the calculations of the Motherships who in their turn, were extensions of Sphere as Sphere acted under my guidance and authority.  Only the continuous use of laser communications could and did pass along enough accurate information to make so complex an operation successful.

The original incident, which had initially only involved a few hundred humans, mushroomed into a major incident involving thousands of people.  Most of those humans were occupants of various forms of transportation such as cars and trucks.  And, of that number of people, most were in vehicles leaving the immediate area.

There simply weren’t enough resources to deal with a major incident on the scale that was becoming evident.  Simple alternatives were becoming necessary reactions to the growing extent of the original incident.  In an effort to economize the relative effectiveness and dataflow accuracies of the artificially intelligent workforce, priority taskings assignments were re-examined with continuously updated values.

The entire situation was getting out of control at a very dizzying pace.  Sheer volumes of logistics, vital priority computational workloads and the lightning fast pace of decision-making taxed my reflexes to the limits of my physical capacity.  I became mixed up easily, and overburdened by the demands placed on me.  I fared no better than Sphere when it came to keeping control of the enormity of the situation.

After several corrections to our priority taskings by the Motherships, we stopped to clear ourselves of the stressful overload.  I developed a terrific headache.  My mind rebelled at the flow of thoughts needed to maintain my personal control of all communications and simultaneously secondary priority taskings.  My own capabilities were so taxed beyond reasonable limits that I couldn’t think.  I had to stop thinking to clear the blurring dataflows out of my mind.

Precious moments of relief were essential to my continued mental functions.  My own body demanded a certain amount of mental attention to continue vital life functions.  These areas of mental activity had been relegated to new purposes of priority computational tasking.  Although my mental awareness was peaked at incredible levels, my physical body was neglected to the extent that it was on the verge of expiring.

The faltering of my mental awareness only indicated the fact that I was literally passing out.  My physical condition was that all normal reserves of oxygen and vital bioenergy had been used up.  My body filled with toxins, oxidants while excessively dangerous levels of carbon dioxide and nitrogen were building up in my bloodstream.  I had to divert my attention to reset and clear myself of my own life threatening physical processes.

In desperation, I accessed my own primary maintenance programs.  With Sphere’s help, I called up the parameters of my basic existence levels, reset those values and tried to test my functional awareness level.  I instantly saw blackness.  That blackness lasted until Sphere managed to reset my basic existence parameters, allow for destabilization factors and then successfully restart my primary basic existence functions.

Priority was given to all of my processes inherently involved in my natural clearing of toxic levels of waste products, gases, and other materials.  The blackness ended when Sphere had returned my primary existence parameters to effect natural operational functions.  I revived into awareness at various basic levels with great difficulty.

Sphere accessed my functional awareness personality to assist in redefining my basic existence parameters to new values.  As quickly as possible, my body cleared itself of the toxins and gases.  I began to sweat profusely, the air around me became rank and overburdened by the stench of my natural wastes.  I had to physically move from where I was standing to avoid recontaminating myself with my own bodily poisons.  For me, a few moments of relief were gained.

Sphere ascertained that at my present rate of biomass consumption, I would not be able to last much longer.  Alternatives had to be determined and implemented if I were to continue even in the lowest of basic existence levels.  Sphere determined the needs of my basic existence, began to reference where available resources might be found and began to compute just how I might access the benefits of those as yet undefined resources.

Sphere determined that there were several hundred students available in the school.  Some were close in approximate age, blood type and other important details.  Within a few moments, all of the most likely students were selected, targeted, assigned to a specific little globe.  All the while the automated processes of biomass gathering were evaluated, retested, and confirmed as valid procedures.

Within a few moments, a swarm of little globes were programmed and monitored as they began to move essential fluids and gases from the targeted students to me.  I received donations of all of the necessary resources needed to keep me alive in the extended mode of my basic existence level while I commanded the entire incident.

The students were totally unaware of their vital donations to the effort of keeping me alive.  In all, about two hundred students gave up a tiny portion of their own select biomass, vital gases and or other essential materials of which I was so critically in need.  Slowly, I began to revive.  The groups of little globes went about their business of keeping me supplied as my needs demanded. Almost immediately, another problem reared itself above the growing lists of high attention priority taskings.  While my internal environment was artificially normalized, nothing had been done about my external environment.

My conscious awareness was completely preoccupied with the priority taskings as directed by Sphere.  Slowly my awareness became fully alert to my circumstances and the full extent of the original incident, the secondary incidents and a host of other relevant factors.  Light flashes containing dataflows reflected, refracted and otherwise mixed into what awareness I could marshal to keep in command of the situation.

My physical condition was one of very uncomfortable sensations.  I felt like I was being sucked through a vacuum cleaner while my clothes flapped wetly about me as bodily fluids streamed from me.  I couldn’t understand what was causing me to literally flush myself as if I were a commode.  And, there was the stream of bright white lights directed at me, causing repeated and significant interruptions to my critical laser link to Sphere.

While formulating the question, Sphere interrupted my thoughts to inform me of the seriousness of my physical condition.  Then, I learned of the processes that had been initiated to preserve my critical functions.  With Sphere’s help, I began to reactivate my own conscious and sub-conscious control of my internal physical functions and processes.  As an after thought, I altered the programming of the little white globes to include removal of waste materials after having brought those lifesaving fluids and gases.  A few adjustments to my commands were made before I began to feel refreshed and clean enough to consider myself fully aware and capable.

As quickly as I could, I started to take part in the ongoing control of the original incident.  Sphere continued to update my dataflows at regular intervals.  I processed what dataflow I could while formulating solutions to complexities that Sphere couldn’t effectively deal with.  All the while, little globes continued to flit to and from me at a great rate.

The interruption in my conscious attendance was not unnoticed.  One of the Motherships inquired discreetly if anything was disturbing my concentration.  I could only reply politely that a local matter had demanded more of my specific thoughts than had been anticipated.  The Mothership expressed concern, but otherwise went about its business of handling its portion of the immense dataflows from the laser network.  I thought about the breakdown I had suffered for a moment before going on to other priority taskings.

Curiously, when I stopped working at whatever I was supposed to be doing, so did everything else.  The busy, little globes, and the people they were immediately controlling, editing, or otherwise altering memories, stopped as if frozen to the spot.  It was almost funny to see the entire affair suddenly freeze for long moments, until I returned to whatever it was that kept everything going.  I made everything stop like that several times just to make sure it wasn’t my imagination.

I became aware of an incident in a jewelry store.  Four humans had been in the control of one of the little white globes.  The little globe was directly controlling the movements of the humans, or rather, preventing them from moving at all.  The humans were being held until another little globe could arrive to tag each individual.

When I stopped my conscious control of the remote viewing capability of the little globe, it stopped completely.  The control of the humans ceased, as did the control of the little globe.  Freed of preventions, the humans made a run to escape from the jewelry store.

One of the humans managed to get two city blocks away before being recontrolled back to the jewelry store.  Several other humans had to be controlled to prevent the sight of a man walking backwards down the main street to reenter the jewelry store.

At the speed of my thoughts, this and countless other incidents were similarly controlled.  The memories of humans involved in such little secondary incidents had to be carefully edited and repaired as necessary to hide the unusual, sometimes impossible events from their experiences.  My advice and guidance was invaluable to Sphere’s overall control of the myriad of complexities that the original incident had become.

One of the Motherships monitoring the continuity of the incident became aware of the connection to me.  The Mothership noted the fact and passed along a warning that it could be possible, inevitably probable, a negative result of my experimentations of control.  I reacted instantly, resolved not to relinquish my control and to see the situation out before my attention would be allowed to wander again.  It was a serious affair and I simply had to grin and bear the demands placed on me for any positive expectations.

With renewed attention, I thought to get some idea of the extent that the original incident had become.  I was able to discern innumerable instances of failure to effectively control the human population.  The effects on individual humans were not specific nor regulated enough to prevent mistakes in critical processes of memory editing and mental conflict management.  The complete plan of managing humans had to be reorganized and monitored for effectiveness.

Computational resources of the mission to control the original incident were seriously depleted by the priority survey taskings I had erroneously commanded.  Parameters of my survey commands were examined and the results were instituted within a framework of new priority tasking commands.  The little globes streaked in from outlying areas into the laser network above the little town, moving about on new priority taskings that were merely part of the extended plan to control the original incident.

Sphere continued to be the primary controller in the management of human memories.  Through the remote capabilities of the little white globes, Sphere extended both control and editing of all human memories.  In most cases, memory strings were converted into analogue values to be transmitted via the laser link network to the Motherships.  There, the analogue values were manipulated in continuously evolving computational patterns, revalued, verified and returned to Sphere.  Sphere received the new analogue values, translate them back into the original human memory strings and verify the continuity of the memory patterns.

The patterns of altering memories were sensitive complexities that allowed for no deviations or inaccuracies.  The slightest of mistakes had serious repercussions and ramifications to the lives of the humans involved.  Only the formation of mental blocks and conflicts were the true indicators of any unsuccessful memory editing and other manipulations.  The only fault of this kind of determination lay in the preexisting mental blocks and conflicts.

The nature or underlying causes of preexisting mental blocks and conflicts could not be accurately determined by Sphere’s capabilities.  When Sphere encountered mental blocks or conflicts of unknown origin, I was consulted for advice on how to effectively manage the discrepancies.  It was a simple thing for me to understand the context of conflicts where Sphere did not have sufficient data to proceed.

Often, Sphere consulted with me on various aspects of individual humans.  It was only a matter of translating memory strings so that Sphere could begin to understand the original cause of the conflict.  At other times, I was consulted for alternatives to the extensive memory editing that was necessary in a few of the human subjects.  The moments of consultations became fewer, although the complexities involved became dramatically more significant and harder to resolve.

Humans are imperfect beings living in an imperfect world as viewed through imperfect perceptions.  The very perception of reality is a product of several vital factors crucial to the recognition and understanding of the values placed at critical moments to provide continuity for the formation of an individual’s awareness and further as an aspect of personality.

Personality, being the sum of those critical factors, can only operate successfully when all those same factors are present.  Although this is a generalization, it is not always valid.  Personality can exist in surprisingly barren or hostile conditions.  And, it is not surprising that personality can endure in the face of contradictions or inaccuracies.

Humanity’s imperfections allow for the localized variances of personality, physical form, and for the expectations of life.  Mutual conventions of conformity only provide a framework for the individual personality’s functional stability as it expresses, creates and manipulates aspects of perceptual reality.  To understand an idealistic view of the functions of personality does not imply the knowledge or capability of knowing what the personality can adapt to or cope with in setting about the continued functions of survival without insanity.  They key word in all of this is ‘survival’ of the personality in any kind of artificial setting.

It is amazing how the physical and mental capabilities of humans alter to meet the need of maintaining the mental operational structure known as personality.  At times, the body can function in optimal conditions without the controls of conscious awareness evident in personality.  In rare instances, mental functions can be made to occur in a subconscious mental state without the control of the personality.  But, the shell of commanding structures that make up the expressive awareness known as personality cannot operate without significant summary factors of both physical and mental capabilities being present.  For that, personality is a continuously evolving sum expression of capabilities resulting in an overall awareness we identify as a sense of being.  In this respect, humans are vaguely recognized as being sentient.

That most humans utilize a marginal percentage of their true capabilities is an understatement.  People can go through life without ever recognizing anything of the extent to which they are truly capable.  Only a bare vestige of humanity’s greatness shows in moments of extreme trial or tribulation.  Only then do people begin to access their hidden talents of greatness to survive otherwise impossible conditions.

For the moment, I was surviving in an impossible condition.   My awareness had been expanded artificially to beyond my true capability.  My physical body had been charged and boosted to keep up with the abnormal demands being made on my mental capabilities.  My personality had grown to include the full potentials made available by the sum of everything included in the laser link network.

Time ceased to exist for me as I managed and manipulated priority tasking with my artificially expanded personality.  I began to manage dataflows directly as I accessed libraries of relevant information concerning all aspects of the original incident.  People’s lives were screened by my extended awareness while simultaneously I was able to configure and manipulate the computational processes necessary for the alterations of those people’s basic memory strings.

I initiated statistical analysis processes to confirm and verify specific patterns in the altered memory strings.   Other evident patterns were detected, determined to be counter productive and eliminated from the minds of those same people.  Overall functionality of each person was determined, confirmed and verified as efficiently as the processes I controlled could allow.

In a little more than an hour, I accomplished eight years of psychotherapy, memory adjustments and other related psychiatric repairs to the people who had been tagged as being observers of the original incident.  All of those people were repaired to optimally functional standards.  Mental and physical adjustments were made in some cases to maintain the specific standards I established as normally valid for humans.

The laser network of communications began to dissolve as soon as those links were not necessary.  Almost as if it had a life of its own, the laser network grew and moved, following the movements of the bright white light little globes.  The little globes flitted everywhere, touched everyone at least for an instant, touched others for longer periods of time.  The spider’s web of laser light moved out from the center of town to encompass the suburbs and later into the more rural areas of the countryside.

I don’t know how long I maintained my artificial state of extended awareness.  It wasn’t a concern to me how long it took to control the original incident.  All that I was aware of was the importance of my efforts in helping Sphere to control the original incident in a manner that would have been otherwise impossible.

While the situation in the small town seemed to be getting well in hand, I thought of the secondary incidents that had occurred in outlying areas.  As I perused summarized data concerning the secondary incidents, I began to realize the full import of the evolutionary process affecting the original incident.  How simple it seemed that an innocently curious intention could adversely affect the lives of thousands of mundane people.   Only considerable care and effort could return the blinders of ignorant innocence to those same simple people.

My conscious awareness was primarily concerned with the prioritized activities of managing dataflows and of advising solutions to various troubles and conflicts as they arose.  During the course of such intense mental activity, it was necessary for me to rest periodically.  The rests were only microseconds long at convenient times, but they were essential to my ability to brainstorm and solve otherwise impossible calculative processes.  It was during one of those rests that I considered all types of traffic movement and communications available to the humans of the area.

Communications were limited to basic radio, television, and telephone services.  The communications service providers were identified, and then disrupted temporarily.  Complete blackout of the area was initiated to control the flow of information within the controlled area.  Modes of active transportation within the controlled area were identified, summarized into statistical data, and monitored for further information.  There were less than fifty boats, five aircraft, three trains, several thousand commercial trucks, and sixty three thousand personal vehicles in motion within the controlled area.

Temporary control was exercised over the humans controlling the various modes of traffic.  The boats were directed to land at convenient beaches for various reasons acceptable to the concerned humans onboard.  The aircraft were either diverted away from the controlled area, as in the case of commercial airliners and private planes were directed to land safely in the nearest available airport.  The trains were simply stopped and held where they were until it was considered safe to proceed.  The vehicular traffic was another matter entirely that could not be put on a temporary hold.

Smaller roads coming in from six different directions to connect with four major highway routes serviced the outlying areas around the small town.  Those four main highways were usually very busy since they were the only means of vehicular access to an area of several hundred square miles of land surface.  Forested mountains and lakes comprised most of the areas.  Several small towns and villages dotted the lower valleys.

The overall plan of managing the secondary incidents evolved from growing numbers of ‘sightings’ incidents along the major routes to the small town.   Although there were a few people who had witnessed the original incident, most of the tagged humans were only subjects who had seen one or more of the little white globes going about their business.  The little white globes did not and could not detect the extent of effects upon the humans by their mere presence.

Out of curiosity, I accessed libraries of recorded monitoring and sensor reading data of specific globes that had detected unusual readings of humans in vehicles at various distances from the center of the original incident.  It was only then that I was able to see the effects of the little white globes upon mundane people.

It was somehow disconcerting to my otherwise unemotional state of awareness that I detected various unusual responses from otherwise normal and peaceful people.  Data comparisons of before and after sightings almost always showed dramatic increases of thermal output and respiratory functions.  Voltage spikes and chemical alterations marked mental activity invariably.

Outward physical activity in some humans revealed controlled complacency while in others, their physical activity corresponded with surges of pure adrenaline and other extreme levels of electrolytes in their bodies.  It amused me to make a few other comparisonal analyzes of recorded monitoring data before I found the access to actual recorded views of specifically targeted areas.

It took me only a moment to find and understand the controlling menus of the libraries.  The result of that effort enabled me to view recorded monitorings of the little white globes at a greatly accelerated rate.  Other optional features of the libraries helped me to zoom and pan views to my satisfaction. Soon I was looking at visual recorded monitoring data comprising the views I chose.  It was necessary to have complete control of the viewing process, panning forward and backward in time was as easily done as panning views from left to the right or to zooming my view from any desirable distance.

I wasn’t prepared for the sights and occurrences that I was able to perceive with my greatly extended awareness.  There were sights of humans engaged at various activities from whatever distance or point of reference I chose for the center of the view.

It became obvious that some of the people were dangerously distressed about their sightings of the little white globes.  Some people simply stared blankly at the positions of the little white globes.  Others froze in surprise and shock at the unusual sightings.  A few humans went into a blind panic, berserking with fear and horror at the conflict of reality verses conscious acceptance and attendant belief structures.

One berserking human became a concern to me.  He was proceeding in a car at a rate of over twice the speed limitation of the road he was on.  As if he couldn’t go fast enough, his two passengers were urging him to go even faster.  At that moment, the car lost contact with the road and began to go airborne.  A curve of the highway just ahead was impossible to negotiate.  The three lives were about to be extinguished.

Reactively, I sent four little white globes to the rescue.  The little globes moved in to take up position at strategic stress points on the top of the speeding car.   At the same time, contact and control of the human driver was initiated.  The driver was motivated to think he continued to press down on the accelerator while in fact he was depressing the brake pedal to its maximum.  The wheels of the car stopped spinning while the car continued along on its headlong momentum.  The tires began squealing and smoking, but the occupants of the car were prevented from perceiving any differences in their passage.

The car continued to approach the impossible turn at dangerous rate of speed.  Oncoming traffic limited passage of the car, its three controlled occupants, and the four little globes to only one lane width of the highway.  Updated computations of vectors, velocities, and possibilities kept me informed of the progress of the rescue operation underway.

At the beginning of the impossible curve, it was finally resolved that the power of the four little globes could possibly be enough to deflect the car sufficiently to ensure safe passage beyond the impossible curve of the highway.  I commanded to the effect that such was the desired result of the computations.  Verifications were confirmed before the little globes moved from their positions above the car to the main stress bearing points at the side of the car.  The globes electromagnetically attached themselves to the wheels of the car and began to vector the car around the corner.

The car negotiated the impossible curve much to the surprise of the oncoming traffic.  The three human occupants of the speeding car were oblivious to the goings-on while their memories were being examined and edited.  A few miles down the road, the car rolled to a stop while the occupants slumped down in deep sleep.  The park brake was activated and the engine was shut down.  The human occupants were programmed to sleep for two hours before awaking without any memory of unusual sightings or activities.  Then the humans were tagged once more for routine monitoring of memories at a conveniently later time.

The fact that this little incident had occurred was unquestionable.  The details were recorded as part of the events arising from the original incident.  My awareness perceived the circumstances of that event, caused primary factors to be sufficiently altered to my personal satisfaction, and recorded the details as part of the extensive library of new information gleaned as a direct result of the original incident.  The people involved were made to be unaware of anything other than the fact that they went for a drive into the countryside.

Nothing unusual occurred, except that they stopped for a few minutes to check the level of coolant in the radiator.  At that point on the highway, they turned around and returned to their homes in the town of the original incident.  Somehow though, something changed their lives for the better after that drive out into the countryside.

The fact that three lives were spared went unnoticed.  Neither I, nor the little globes of white light, were concerned with anything remotely resembling praise or reward for the commanded efforts.  Perhaps somewhere, one of the Motherships may have noted the fact as a matter of recording sublime aspects of the ongoing evolution of the ramifications of the original incident.

The four little globes continued along the highway towards another location about fifty miles from the center of the original incident.  There, a freight train had stopped at a level crossing, blocking the highway traffic in both directions.  While it was not unusual for the train to pass through the area at that particular time, it was the first time that the train had stopped across the highway.

The motorists were not happy about the fact that the highway was being blocked by a mere thirty-car freight train for no apparent reason.  A few impatient people had turned their vehicles around to find another means of getting to their intended destinations.  Other people simply turned off their engines to relax and wait for the freight train to move out of the way.  A few of those who remained waiting at the level railway crossing grew increasingly upset at the situation.

The little globe that had been instructed to control the engineers of the freight train remained in position inside the cab of the locomotive.  Its primary purpose was to maintain control of the engineers, although it did monitor a good view of the situation at the level railway crossing.  For the moment everything seemed quietly under control.

Several of the waiting motorists got out of their vehicles and began to move around.   One highly agitated individual walked over to the train and began to shout to similarly motivated people standing at the other side of the stopped freight train.  Somehow they came to the conclusion that it might be a good idea to take the matter up with the supposedly drunken engineer of the freight train.  In short, a few very angry men walked along the length of the short train towards the locomotive.

The little globe monitoring the situation had detected hostility in the minds of the approaching men.  It was concerned that its present position and priorities might be compromised, that it might be seen by the angry and difficult to control men.  At this point, I became involved in this secondary incident as an advisor of the identifiable possibilities and probabilities.

In the time it had taken the men to walk down the length of the train to the locomotive, other similar little incidents were beginning to occur.  The group of four little globes had moved less than eight miles along the highway from the scene of their first secondary incident.

A motorist had been detected as being tagged for memory editing while he bought gasoline for his vehicle and coffee for himself in a roadside diner.  The motorist was actively telling his strange tale to the people inside the restaurant.  Unbelievably, this stranger in the midst of strangers was believed at face value.  At the end of the strange story of the stranger, everyone got up to rush towards the door of the restaurant.

The people inside the restaurant had the intention of escaping to tell others of the strange tale.  It had been determined that sufficient control could be exercised over the group of highly agitated humans.  So, when the door opened for their escape, the four little globes of haloed white light simply blocked that means of egress.

The little globes beamed laser rays at each individual human until the stunning effects resulted in complete immobility.   The first few humans were simply shocked at the fact that their light of awareness was abruptly turned off.  The others behind them could see their companions being lasered and dropping as if they were dead.  That scene was emblazoned in memories of the other people as if it were truly a death scene.

Frantic attempts to escape were negated as the little globes moved inside the diner to better control the resulting mob.  It became increasingly difficult to stun the humans in their heightened state of fear.  More time and power to the laser had to be concentrated on each human before it was knocked out.  Two humans managed to escape out through the back exit of the restaurant.  The globes noted the fact while they continued to control the group inside the restaurant.  A globe from further away was dispatched as support to that location.

The human who was pumping gasoline into the car, was unaware of the presence of the little globes inside the restaurant.  He had just finished filling the gas tank of the car when the fifth support globe flitted up in front of his face and lasered him directly in the eyes.  In a carefully controlled state, the human was directed by the globe to walk into the restaurant to take his place in the line of other controlled humans.

The four little globes inside the restaurant were having a time of controlling the frantic humans.  While they concentrated their available energy upon one human individual at a time to establish control, another human would slip out of the controlling mental state.  Thus released from control, the human would attempt to escape until their physical efforts were once again nullified.  The seesaw battle would have gone on indefinitely.  The fifth support globe arrived escorting its captive human into the restaurant.  The fifth globe turned the tide of the little battle in favor of the little globes.

While the four little globes went about controlling the humans inside the restaurant, the fifth support globe went back outside.  A relay between the little globes had to be setup so that a direct connection to the laser link network could be established.  Both distance and the barrier of mountains made it difficult to gain optimal efficiency and support from the laser link network.  The fifth little globe re-established its laser link connection at an altitude of about five hundred feet above the roadside diner.

The fifth, support globe gained altitude to assure its connections to the laser link network.  Then, it refined its data and energy handling capabilities, relayed essential energy and dataflows to the four globes inside the diner.  The four globes inside the diner renewed their efforts with the full capacity and capabilities of the laser link network.  Only then could any serious work be done with the humans captured inside the roadside diner.  The processes of monitoring, identifying memory strings and editing memories were concentrated upon one individual at a time.  The other humans simply stood in a line, waiting for their turn.  All the while a thin laser line beamed up from the restaurant to the globe high overhead, which in turn, beamed a laser line directly to the laser link network controlling the original incident.

The fifth, support globe began a spiral search pattern around the roadside restaurant.   The only visibly moving object was a vehicle traveling along the highway at about fifty miles per hour past the roadside diner.  The vehicle soon disappeared around a bend in the road.  Nothing unusual was observed during the passage of the vehicle either by the vehicle’s occupants or the little globe monitoring the area.

The little globe gained altitude while maintaining its primary relay priorities and continuing its spiral search pattern.  From that altitude, the white globe observed the vehicle beyond the bend in the highway.  The vehicle was decelerating as a lone human waved frantically from the side of the highway.

The frantic human was one of the two identified escapees from inside the restaurant.  The vehicle stopped abruptly, an animated exchange took place.  The human opened a door, a short struggle ensued, the door closed, the vehicle began to move again.

The vehicle had moved less than fifty feet before one of the little white globes from inside the restaurant positioned itself in the center of the hood on the slowly accelerating vehicle.  The vehicle slowed to a stop at the side of the highway.  Then it began to back up slowly in the direction of the roadside diner.  Passing traffic took little notice of the reversing vehicle.

The vehicle slowly reversed its way to the back of the restaurant.  The vehicle’s engine was turned off before the humans emerged from within.  Slowly, carefully, the humans walked up a short flight of stairs and into the restaurant.  When the controlled humans reached the top of the stairs, another human broke from hiding, tried to communicate with the controlled humans to no avail.  Within moments, that second escapee was under control as well.  The trio marched inside to meet their peers.

About this moment, a small group of humans approached a solitary freight train engineer who stood resolutely by his locomotive.  Although I may not be exactly sure of the exchange between those gentlemen, the effect on the engineer was definite.

The engineer had been on his run for a number of years.  It had not been his experience to endure verbal abuse for simply stopping his train according to instructions issued over the two-way radio in the cab of his locomotive.  Now, with decidedly angry accompaniment, he was radioing verification of his very specific instructions.  The replies were disconcerting to everyone inside the cab of that engine.

The frequency of the two-way radio was monitored by one of the Motherships high overhead.  As the engineer talked to his supposed dispatcher, an inaudible frequency burst sounded within the cab of the massive locomotive.  It literally stunned everyone who was inside the cab into a state of unconsciousness.  As far as the Mothership was concerned, the situation was momentarily controlled to within the parameters of the original incident.  Back at the level railway crossing, it was some time before anyone thought to investigate the goings-on, or rather lack thereof, at the locomotive.

The group of five little white globes concluded their business at the roadside diner.  All memories of the humans had been edited, their physical and mental conditions stabilized, or otherwise improved, and except for the matter of time, nothing had been lost to them.  The humans would go through their lives as normally as any others, perhaps a lot healthier than most and certainly as confident as any humans would be in their lives.  But, the incident they had experienced at the roadside diner was lost to them as if it had never happened.

The five little globes left the area of the roadside diner and went straight to the location of the level railway crossing.  The little globes traveled at top velocity in ‘V’ formation, gathering and relaying dataflows of information along the way.  From all that had been monitored along the way, everything seemed to be fine.  A summary of the support globe’s experience at the railway crossing was analyzed so that a plan of action could be prepared for.

The approach strategy basically called for one globe to be positioned at the locomotive as a strategic controller, while the others separated into two groups to handle the humans in or near their vehicles at the highway.  Approval of this course of action was confirmed by various resources and  from visual monitoring by the little white globes.

What greeted the globes on their arrival at the railway crossing was definitely not expected.  The group of four globes had separated to take up discreet viewing positions along the sides of the highway.  It had been their purpose to control most of the humans presumed to be in their vehicles.  But, the lone little white globe encountered a mob comprising a significant number of humans gathered at both sides of the locomotive.

The mob seemed unduly concerned about a few humans sleeping inside the cab of the locomotive.  Something was definitely wrong, and no one knew what to do about the problem.  Loud arguments of the humans could be clearly heard by the little white globe concealing itself at the far end of the locomotive.

Finally, one brave soul climbed up the side of the locomotive to get a closer look at the sleeping humans.  Carefully, he approached the cab entrance, peered cautiously inside, and sniffed the air before he dared to venture within the cab.

The supposedly sleeping men were lying as if they had fallen.  Although the prone men were breathing slowly, they could not be roused by any available means.  The mystified human could not understand what had happened to cause the prone men to remain unconscious.

The little group of humans departed hurriedly from the area of the locomotive and its sleeping occupants.  No one seemed to know anything about what was going on, why the locomotive was there in the first place, nor why the men in the cab of the locomotive couldn’t be awakened.  Something strange was afoot and everyone agreed that the safest place was probably in their own vehicles.  Better still would be if they could manage to turn around in order to leave the area.  With that thought in mind, most of the humans made their way back to their respective vehicles.

The little white globes observed the retreat of the group of humans, and moved their tactical positions closer to the lineup of vehicles on the highway.  The humans were apprehensive in their movements, not knowing whether to run for their cars or perhaps to even closer safety.

The little globe, at the position of the locomotive, moved at high velocity along the top center line of the locomotive to the nearest entrance into the cab.  Once there, it examined the prone humans.  Only then was it discovered that the effects of the Mothership were vastly underestimated.

It wasn’t a simple matter of waking the sleeping humans anymore.  It was a definite medical emergency to restore the damages done to the innocent humans.  Reviving and rescuing the unconscious humans was definitely a matter that exceeded the capabilities of the little white globes.

As acting commander of the available resources, I was notified that an unexpected contingency had arisen.  I was given a full report of the situation, advised of various options and courses of action and left to make decisions as I saw fit to expedite the matter.  Enough said about that, I surmised, the presently available resources were only to suffice for the intended purposes I had already authorized.  A further draw upon the available resources could only result in failure of the planned management of the original incident.

For long moments, I communicated with unknown command sentients and other select personnel.  What was accomplished out of the long discussion was only the agreement that something had to be done quickly.  Since I was the ‘Expediter’, I would try to manage the situation as best I could with the resources available to me.  There seemed to be some kind of agreement made in my favor at that point.  Only then did I realize that I would be given command over another Mothership and several smaller craft.

Somehow I perceived the arrival of the new additions to the total resources available for my awareness.  A Mothership streaked across the sky to take up a geostationary orbit high over the railway crossing.  The smaller craft darted down to mountaintops nearby.  Fog formed around them, followed around them as the craft made their way across the topography to positions strategically convenient to the location of the railway crossing.

While the craft approached, other preparations were made for the next step in the order of events.  A significant number of humans had gathered into two discussion groups, one on each side of the stopped freight train.  This posed a likelihood of the approaching craft to be observed by at least one of the humans.  It was desirable to prevent as much observation of the craft as possible.  It was thought to be better to control small numbers of humans in their own vehicles than to try to control the much larger groups.

The four globes nearest the highway were commanded to move in invisible mode as close to the humans as possible.  As efficiently as possible, the humans were initially controlled and motivated to walk to their own vehicles.  The two large groups of humans milled around a bit before all of the humans began to obey their commands.  While the humans were returning to their respective vehicles, the craft neared the area.  The craft was large enough that some precautions had to be taken to keep its possible sighting to a minimum.  The craft was held in a hovering position below treetop level a short distance away from the site of the secondary incident.

At my command, a craft moved as quickly as possible into a hovering position above the locomotive.  In a bright yellow beam of light, the humans were extracted from cab of the locomotive to appear inside the craft.  The process took less than a minute, before the craft departed as quickly as it had arrived.  The craft simply disappeared in a vertical climb, going straight to the Mothership directly overhead.

Within a few minutes, the craft had docked inside the Mothership.  The humans were rushed to waiting medical facilities.  Teams of medical professionals examined, diagnosed, and treated the incapacitated humans.  The humans were restored to their original conditions as they had been before the mistake of the Mothership.  Within fifteen minutes, the much-improved humans were back aboard the support craft and headed back to the locomotive.

The humans were returned to the cab of the locomotive in the same manner that they had been extracted from it.  To all outward appearances, the men still slept.  There were differences, of course.  The men were in deep hypnotic sleep and they stood upright rather than lay on the floor of the locomotive’s cab.

The situation at the site of the secondary incident continued to remain relatively reasonable and passively controlled.  The lineups of stopped vehicles on both sides of the railway crossing continued to grow at the rate of one vehicle about every minute.  The vehicles would approach the lineup, slow to a complete stop.  The vehicle’s brakes would be set and the engines turned off.  The human occupants were allowed personal freedom within their vehicles only.   Otherwise, the human occupants were allowed to think or do whatever they wanted within the restriction of remaining within their vehicle.

The demands upon my artificially extended awareness had been great.  As the original sequence of events had been determined before the extraction of the damaged humans, I concentrated upon the myriad of other little incidents occurring in the evolution of the original incident.  As soon as the humans had been returned to the cab of the locomotive, I was notified that particular event had been successfully achieved.  I thought to review the sequence of events composing the secondary incident as recorded by various artificial intelligences.  It was only then that I thought of other possibilities and probabilities concerning the progression of events called the secondary incident.

I was more than curious about the manner in which the Mothership had damaged the humans.  I called up the details to my awareness and determined that the electromagnetic transference of specific energy had been sourced through the locomotive’s two-way radio.  I was surprised that the instrument of communication had become an almost lethal weapon.  As quickly as that realization was made, the Mothership in question had accessed its stored dataflows of the logics and progressions directly resulting in its damaging effects upon the humans.

The Mothership interrupted my thoughts with a question of its own.  If I was a human, and I knew that some means or other had damaged other humans, how would I feel towards that Mothership?  And, further, why did I seem to dismiss the effects of the electromagnetic burst against the humans so easily.  I replied that the Mothership simply was or was not directly responsible for the attack.  In the described circumstances, the Mothership was only acting in good faith that it was not seriously risking any kind of lifeforms.  And, that anything in excess could prove fatal to any kind of lifeforms, sentient or not.  I gave two examples to illustrate my simple thoughts about the matter and asked if there was need of clarification of my translations.

The Mothership and I communicated further in a private mode of direct laser link available within the network.  I suppose that there could have been recordings of the conversation, but the evolving complexities of the security codes would have defied any kind of understanding resulting from decoding.  In all brevity, honesty, and security, the Mothership communicated to me as if one from one artificial sentience to another.

For long moments, the Mothership and I communicated in encoded dataflows.  Our mutual security and understanding was enhanced with specific translations of the encoded dataflows by Sphere.  We communicated about various momentary priorities, the evolutionary probabilities of the original incident and secondary curiosities about our personality structures.  The Mothership and I learned a great deal about each other and our relationship to the artificial structures that were created, manipulated and destroyed as we went about our priority taskings.  When our curiosities had been mutually satisfied, we ended our closed communication link to return to our previous priority taskings.

I renewed my concentration upon the secondary incident after briefly resting.  I questioned the power of energy used by the Mothership to affect the locomotive’s two-way radio.  At the same time, I questioned the amount of energy required to do the evident damage to the humans inside the locomotive’s cab.  A minor amount of secondary priority computational resource was assigned the task of researching dataflows for the answers to my questions.  My extended artificial awareness moved on to other priority taskings.

I reviewed the progress of the primary incident management before returning to the evolutions of the secondary incident.  As far as I could determine at that time, there were no obvious oversights, nor indications of difficulties in any of the processes and procedures being followed.  Even slight mistakes had been allowed for in all stages of interaction with the human population.

The Mothership began to do some researching of the secondary incident recorded dataflows on its own.  It found that three times the amount of energy expended upon the humans positioned within the confines of the locomotive cab, had indeed been released into the electromagnetic fields of the two-way radio.  Checks and re-examination of available evidences confirmed the release of a specific amount of high-energy frequency modulations within specific electromagnetic wavelengths.  In a summary, the Mothership confirmed its release of a specific amount of energy, less known leakages and losses of potential.  This still left a lethal amount of expended energy unaccounted for that the Mothership merely dismissed as an incidental matter.

I thought to dismiss the matter of the missing energy myself.  For some vague reason, I felt it was still important to learn where the missing energy had depleted itself.  While the exact value of missing energy was being determined, it was only estimated how the energy could possibly have been spent.  Checks and rechecks confirmed the magnitude of the energy burst released by the Mothership upon the targeted humans.  The burst of energy had left a trail of ionization in its wake.  It was not a simple matter to follow that trail to see where the burst had actually gone.

I became concerned with both the significant potential of the energy burst and the fact that only a portion of the full burst had caused any evidential results.  As an afterthought, I compared the missing energy burst potential to that of a similarly sized defensive globe attack.  This change in priority tasking of the missing energy search caused much concern and immediate results.  The search for the missing energy began in earnest.

The trail of ionization caused by the Mothership’s energy burst was specifically determined.  A slight charge of energy had been depleted upon the surface of the Mothership, a slight charge of the energy burst had been lost to atmospheric interference causing ionization, a slight charge of the energy burst had partially melted the circuitry of the two-way radio of the locomotive, and of course, the energy burst as measured by the effects upon the humans in the locomotive’s cab.  The remainder of the Mothership’s energy burst had gone into the electromagnetic frequency carrier wave of the two-way radio.

Only now did it become apparent where the missing energy might have gone.  About a third of the missing energy was determined to have burst upon the two humans at the receiving end of the two-way radio communication carrier wave.  The two humans were unequally damaged, although both required immediate medical care for burns and brain damages.  A ship with four globes was dispatched to the site of the damaged humans.

As quickly as possible the two unconscious humans were removed from their position and taken to the closest Mothership.  No thought or concern was given to the fact that the ship and its globes were sighted as they appeared above the control tower of the railway marshaling yards of a small town located about 25 miles due north of the original incident. Thus another sighting incident within the small town was created by the rescue of the two humans.

The search for the missing energy ionization trail continued.  Possibilities became probabilities until it was confirmed that the last of the missing energy burst had been accounted for as it had burst within the cockpit of a commercial airliner that happened to be overflying the area.  This discovery caused great concern for the safety of the airliner that had flown for considerable time on its own.

A ship was sent to look for the commercial airliner.  The search for the airliner in question was only a matter of reviewing the recorded dataflows of the area at the moment of the Mothership’s energy burst.  Three commercial airliners were identified as having been within range of the radio reception, and all three were immediately investigated.  One of the airliners was found to have an unconscious flight crew at the controls.  The ship determined that the flight crew was in need of medical attention.  A rescue was authorized and the mission of extraction of the humans was prioritized as an essential task.

The ship positioned itself along side the commercial airliner, matched vectors and extracted the unconscious flight crew.  A little white globe stayed in the cockpit to maintain flying control of the aircraft, and to prevent interference of the flight controls by the passengers.  Most of the passengers had become highly excited by the sighting of the ship pacing their aircraft.  Some cases of hysteria resulted, but this soon died down as soon as the ship was seen to be leaving the area at a high velocity.  The little white globe did prevent access to the cockpit of the commercial airliner effectively.

The ship took the unconscious flight crew directly to the same Mothership that rendered medical attention to the other damaged humans.  The unconscious humans were revived, controlled and healed of their damages.  The memories of the humans were altered, confirmed to be without conflicts and cover memories were successfully implanted.  As soon as the healing processes were completed, the humans were transported back to their commercial airliner in the same manner that they had been originally extracted from it.

The flight crew was returned to their original positions within the cockpit of the airliner.  Complete control of the humans was maintained while control of the airline’s passengers began.  The passengers had become hysterical during the interim and it was necessary to control them enough to prevent physical injuries.  Control of all humans on the commercial airliner was established and the processes of memory editing were initiated.

During the process of controlling the humans aboard the commercial airliner, it was discovered that the aircraft had flown a considerable distance off its intended course.  It was deemed necessary to reposition the commercial airliner into its theoretical position to allay evidence of the unusual event.

The flight crew and passengers of the commercial airliner were released from complete control after the airliner had been placed where it was supposed to be.  The overall flight was perceived as rather bumpy, but otherwise uneventful as far as the humans onboard were concerned.

The sighting incident in the small town located about twenty-five miles north of the original incident became the next priority for me to contend with.  I felt that the situation at the railway crossing could continue within its circumstantial parameters for a while longer.  The resources devoted to controlling the airliner incident were turned upon the small town.  A ship reappeared over the railway marshaling yards.

The ship hovered over the control tower of the marshaling yards while another appeared nearby as support.  A group of little white globes went about the area to determine which humans had memories of any unusual sightings.  These humans were tagged for memory editing using the same priority parameters I had established for the original incident.

A small laser link network was established over the small town.  Residents were individually controlled, examined and altered as necessary.  The center of the small town was a ‘T’ intersection of the two highway routes in the area.  It was not difficult for the little white globes to go about their business of controlling the sighting incident.  Most of the sighting cases were reduced to explicable causes such as reflections, sundog sightings or other mundane effects.

As soon as the incident of the small town was over, the available resources were directed to the site of the railway-crossing incident.  The resources were more than adequate to deal with that incident adequately.  The humans still trapped within their vehicles were subjected to full control.  In this state of consciousness, the individual memories were examined, edited and replaced with new memories.  To all of the humans who had been trapped at the railway crossing, it had only been a matter of waiting for a two-mile long train to clear the crossing.  After the long wait, everyone proceeded as usual to intended destinations.

I found it necessary to rest after the culmination of the railway-crossing incident.  For long moments, I rested and renewed my capabilities that had been so depleted by the effort of concentrating.  Only after I had been informed that I was fully rested enough to utilize my full capabilities did I begin to concentrate on the various aspects of the evolving incidents.

Having dealt with incidents to the west and north of the original incident, I turned my awareness and burgeoning expertise upon incidents to the south and east of the original incident.  In similar fashion, I dealt with two other main sites of sightings and otherwise inexplicable occurrences.

Once again, I had to stop and rest in complete inactivity.  While I was dormant, Sphere rejuvenated or renewed the neuronets of activity that connected vital functions of my awareness and being.  Slight adjustments were made to my physical functions as needed to maintain my basic existence, and to further enhance my mental capabilities sufficiently to handle my greatly extended artificial awareness.  As soon as Sphere had determined that I was sufficiently rested, I was awakened to continue from where I had left off.  A summarized update of events was available to me as I renewed my efforts to control the original incident and the complexities of the other less significant events.

Only with sheer determination and extensive capabilities was the significance of the original incident gradually reduced.  The logistics of control and manipulation of the impressive array of capabilities and resources allowed my capabilities to be more effective than had been predicted.  The protracted rate of controlling the original incident diminished from years of concentrated effort to a matter of a few hours.

During my participation in the original incident, I was kept in a maintained and monitored artificial state of physical existence.  The demands of energy that I required to keep the most basic level of physical existence while I performed phenomenal mental tasks meant that there were radical alterations of my physical condition.  My body sweated profusely and shrank as my head mushroomed to contain expanding brain mass.  My extended awareness only recognized a vaguely human form at the receiving end of a long line of essential material bearing little white globes.

The demands of my body were so great that the nearby resources of biomass were soon depleted.  Alternative resources were located and protected routes for the little white globes were established.  The new sources of biomass were further away from the area of the school.  This meant that valuable time was lost because of the extra distance that the little white globes had to travel.  The steady line of little white globes carrying vital biomass soon thinned to a few visits per second.  This drastic drop in available biomass had an immediate effect upon my capabilities.  I began to lose aspects of my extended awareness very quickly.

I knew there was a resource of several hundred students and teachers close to me.  Of those hundreds of individuals, only a few were capable of supplying me with donations of vital biomass.  Those individuals were already exhausted as possible donors without endangering their lives.  An alternative solution to supplying my needs had to be found.

The possibility of altering my blood type and biomass values was suggested and explored.  If the largest supply of biomass was of a certain type and value, then I should be altered to be able to use that kind of resource.  The processes of altering my physical characteristics were initiated while comparison and biomass computability tests were confirmed.  Within a few minutes, I was able to access the fresh resources of new biomass donors.  I felt elated and pleased that my extended awareness soared to greater potentials.
My personal awareness was so extended that I vaguely could identify myself as an individual.  I was continuously evolving to new parameters as I reacted and controlled ongoing incidents.  Once again, I thought it prudent to review and confirm my own personal effectiveness.  I had relied upon the fact that Sphere had overall control of my capabilities and primary existence as a matter of controlling my own adaptations and evolved capabilities.  I couldn’t possibly be capable of doing anything other than what I was directed to be doing as I, in turn, directed the main force of resources to deal reactively with the ongoing incidents.  I couldn’t think about myself in any way.  I was simply too busy with resolving conflicts, controlling incidents and directing available resources.

My perceptions were no longer in the normal color bands of light.  I could only see shades of color as it related to circumstances, conditions and incidents as they unfolded in momentary clarity.  It was not a factor to see the visual aspects of individuals as I dealt with their personal perceptions and mental conflicts.  It wasn’t a factor to see anything unless it was something that I could relate to as a color shade denoting a specific value of condition or action.  A backdrop of other stars and their planets existed for me as I utilized the entire resource of perceptions available for my personal priorities.  I simply existed and functioned as effectively as I could to carry out my prioritized taskings of the moment.

Incidents of highly suspicious human activity to the south of the original incident were brought to my attention.  It was confirmed that a number of vehicles had managed to reach a large town.  The main route of travel involved a ferry.  As it happened, the ferry was docked and not due to leave its berth for some time.  A group of angry men were in the act of coercing the Captain of the ferry to depart forthwith.

The Captain, being a timely man, wouldn’t consider the matter.  Within a few moments, he was in the thick of suppressing a mutiny while still tied up at the dock.   A patron of a nearby restaurant made a phone call to the police.  While the arguments escalated and fighting broke out, two cars loaded with desperate men made a clean getaway.  The police arrived in time to see a mob beginning to form.  The reserves were called out and the police backed off a distance to wait for more help.

In the meantime, I directed a little white globe to get as close to the Captain as possible.  I could see that there were opportunities to control the Captain of the ferry if he got within a short distance of the little white globe.   From the vantage point of the little white globe, I could see the milling humans on the dock as they tried to board the ferry.  The Captain and his crew were valiantly trying to keep control of the ferry.  In an attempt to prevent the mob from boarding, the Captain ordered the loading ramp of the ferry to be raised.  Then the crew slackened off the hawsers until the ferry floated a few feet away from the dock.  This made an effective moat to keep the mob from boarding the ferry.  The Captain and his crew settled down until some semblance of control of the mob on the dock could be established.

I moved the little white globe in as close as possible to one of the bridge windows of the ferry.  From that hidden position, the little white globe was kept from view only a few feet away from the Captain.  At an opportune moment, the little white globe rose up enough to send an invisible beam of light to the Captain. The dataflows of the laser beam were intended to motivate the Captain to open the bridge window and stand there for a long time.  The thickness of the glass was such that it reflected some of the laser beam.  The next moment, everyone on the bridge of the ferry was standing at the open window, staring out over the lake away from the dock and all of the frantic humans milling about there.
Frustrated by an apparent loss of control, I directed the little white globe to move to as effective as possible position in front of the open window.  At the same instant, a beam of control was established with every individual standing at that open window.  I accessed the thought processes of the Captain directly via a laserlink to his forehead.  In haste, I searched the Captain’s memories for visual conflicts.  This resulted in my knowing that the only conflict in the Captain’s store of memories was the one of the little white globe rising up directly in front of him and shining a thin blue laser at his head.

The incident had happened so quickly that the reflexes of the Captain were not able to react to the perceptions his senses had told him.   The Captain remained immobile only because of the direct control of his mental functions had prevented his movement away from the orb of white that hung so close to his face.

In the same manner that I had accessed the Captains store of memories, I began to access those of the nearest individual standing at the Captain’s elbow.  Like the Captain, that individual had no unusual visually caused mental conflicts with the exception of the little white globe that had appeared literally out of thin air to hover in front of the Captain beside him.  As with the Captain, direct laser control of the individual’s physical motor skills had prevented his immediate reaction.  A third and fourth individual were similarly examined and a conclusion reached that no significant events were unfolding to the awareness of the entire group of humans.

Direct laserlink access to human minds can allow for so many different options to be set into motion.  I decided to be cautious by letting the humans look at anything except the general direction of perceptions in which the little white remained stationed.  Summarily, commands to that effect were given to each individual.  For a few moments there was a bit of shuffling around until everyone repositioned themselves back at the open window.

As a matter of curiosity, I directed the view of the little globe to see what everyone on the bridge was looking at.  Surprisingly, there was something to look at besides the mile or so stretch of open water.  Another ferry, loaded and low in the water was making its way slowly across the lake to the ferry docks on this side of the lake.  All the while, trouble on the dock was escalating.

The fact that another ferry would be arriving soon was an unexpected complication.  Any semblance of control would be lost as it was projected that presently available resources could not establish control over the highly agitated humans on the dock.   All the while, minor incidents evolved and were resolved around the site of the original incident.  As the primary incidents to the north and east of the original incident were reaching satisfactory conclusions, computational resources were freed to deal with the newly arising incidents occurring to the east and south of the original incident.

For long moments the Captain had stood aghast at the sight of the little white globe hovering directly in front of his face.  Memories of this sight had been so startling and significant to the Captain that it was extremely difficult to trace, edit and alter his overall memory patterns.  In the Captain’s perception of events, he simply watched as a white spot in his field of vision appeared for the briefest of moments.  That blur in his vision, being so momentary, was relegated to the status of a chance reflection from a wave on the lake’s choppy surface.

For me, it was an accomplishment to have handled the Captain’s personal incident so easily.  I set about commanding the Captain to delay the approaching ferry as much as possible.  At the same moment the command was given, the Captain was released to his own volition as the little white globe simply dropped out of the line of sight.   From a safer distance, the little white globe controlled each individual at the open window with a similar set of commands without the ones that related to the approaching ferry.  Thus far, this aspect of this incident seemed well in hand.  I set my concentration on other problems of the moment.

The Captain, with a sufficiently motivated attitude, began to radio to the Captain of the approaching ferry.  In no uncertain terms, the Captain warned of the big commotion going on at the dock.  The second Captain had seen the melee going on for himself, through his telescope.   And, as interesting as that sight was, there was something more perplexing to the sight of the approaching Captain.  In fact, it was so perplexing, that he had called someone up to verify the sight.    Soon, all of the humans on board that ferry had a turn to look through the telescope towards the docked ferry.  What everyone had seen was the presence of a little white globe moving around in the air beside the docked ferry.

The docked ferry Captain was stunned by the news that everyone on board the approaching ferry had seen a little bright white globe fluttering and moving around in the air near the docked ferry.  It was one thing to see and dismiss a chance reflection of bright white light in one’s field of vision.  It was another thing entirely to have verification of the same reflection as being a solid object.  What was so unacceptable was the fact that the Captain couldn’t see what the other Captain was seeing.

The entirety of this radio communication was being monitored and recorded as a matter of course.  The translation of this particular conversation was of a secondary priority to the little white globe presently stationed just below the sill level of the Ferry’s open window.   To all intents and purposes, the docked Ferry Captain was attempting to explain a reason for slowing down the approach of the second ferry.  All seemed to be going well for the moment.

I chose this time to rest my overburdened mind.  I walked in a short circle like a zombie as my mind slept.  As soon as I was back to optimum capability, I was returned to conscious awareness.  The priority of the moment was to review the ongoing events while I had been indisposed.  A summary of events was prepared for me that included all of the dataflows stored in a dataflow library of one of the orbiting Motherships.  As I perused the monitoring of the little white globe nearest the docked ferry, I made a significant discovery.

The ferry Captain had communicated as intended to delay the second ferry still out in the middle of the lake.  That part was fine.  What wasn’t so fine was the fact that the second ferry Captain had insisted that he, his crew and a ferry loaded with passengers could see the little white globe as it maintained its position near the docked ferry.  That implied that all of the people on the second ferry had observed what they considered as an unusual sighting.

While a plan was formulated to control the humans onboard the second ferry, I scanned to see what had become of the two carloads of escaping humans.  By reviewing stored dataflows, it was determined that the cars could be tracked by a particular ionization trail left in the air by the combustion engines.  Given a specific direction and an ionization pattern to follow, a little white globe was dispatched to follow their trail.  The idea had merit, but the search for the two carloads of humans had to be abandoned.  A steady breeze and contrary air currents had seriously interfered with the trail of ionized gases.  Another method of finding the two carloads of escaping humans had to be devised.

Another priority became apparent as it was determined that computational resources were seriously overburdened.  Communication links via laser networks and great distances seriously hampered the overall effectiveness of some critical tasks.  A complete review of all resources, dataflows and strategic plans had to be altered to meet the evolving incidents.  Mistakes and deficiencies had to be minimized to effectively control memory alterations and other serious priority taskings.  My overall awareness was reviewed and reset to new values.  Verification and confirmation processes involving dataflows had to be replaced by other processes that were far more efficient.

With renewed effort, I began to manipulate and evolve methods of managing humans in their immediate circumstances.  Computational resources were reorganized to meet the new demands.  My awareness extended once again to reveal perceptions of color denoting significant factors of my manipulations.  As accurately and as efficiently as possible, I flowed through human minds, altering and amending as necessary to reset human personalities to new values.  I established new values new values to be adhered to while dealing with the complexities of humans.  Those new values to be applied to all humans were confirmed before I went on to other priority taskings.

Several secondary incidents to the east of the original incident were concluded to my satisfaction.  The resources from those incidents were sent to the evolving incidents to the south where the numbers of people becoming involved in secondary incidents had mushroomed.  There, my frustration of failing to contain the situation grew as quickly as the magnitude of the rash of sightings.  My main concern was to contain and limit the extent of the new sightings cases.

The secondary incident of sightings at the ferry dock had escalated into a primary classification.  It was determined that beyond the involvement of the mob on the dock and the two ferries, there were other random sightings both in the town and from across the lake.  As quickly as possible, resources that had been freed up from taskings to the north at the original incident were concentrated around the area of the town to the south.  This primary incident demanded consideration of both timing and concentration of resources to contain and manage the evolving incident.

Careful planning and timing went into the orchestration of the management of the primary incident.   The most remote cases of sightings were dealt with first.  As humans who had seen unusual lights and objects filling the sky around the primary incident were identified, those same humans were tagged, their memories altered as needed within the limitations dictated by the new values, and for a short time after, were monitored closely to confirm the effectiveness of their alterations.

In the next stage of the management of the primary incident, available resources were concentrated at the ferry dock on the far side of the lake.   There, several dozen people were identified as having seen something unusual enough to create mental conflicts.  While some people had panicked and fled for their lives, most stood around in a daze wondering about what they had seen and what would happen next.

A small craft accompanied by dozens of little white globes moved into position over a parking lot area of the south ferry dock on the far side of the lake.  A group of people was herded into the parking lot to wait for their turn of being edited.  One by one, the humans were selected and processed.  The humans were then directed to wait in the parking lot area until they were queued to return to their original circumstances and wait for the signal to be awakened from their restful state.

In an area above a beach not far from the south ferry dock, another group of humans assembled.  Some of the humans had been in the area to enjoy the benefits of a small park and hiking trails that had offered a view of the lake.  These humans were also processed, reset to new personality values, and queued to wait for an awakening command or signal.  The crowd of quiet humans stood stock still in the middle of the parking lot.

From the parking lot near the south ferry dock on the far side of the lake, the small craft and its swarm of little white globes moved out over the lake surface to the ferry floating in the middle of the lake.  The crew and passengers onboard the ferry were dismayed at the sight of the approaching armada.  One person jumped overboard, others fled into the interior of the ferry and a group of passengers gathered at the back rail of the ferry.  Someone threw a lifesaver towards the man in the water before fleeing to join the others headed for the interior of the ferry.

The craft and its accompanying globes took up a hovering position along side the ferry.  Little white globes went about their business of managing the humans.  Inspite of the futile efforts of resistance, the little white globes gained access to the interior of the ferry.  One by one, the humans were found, their memories scanned, and memories were altered or eliminated as necessary.  The controlled humans were herded into one of the rooms within the ferry and put to sleep.

The man in the cold, deep and rough water was soon in serious trouble.  His efforts to keep his head above the water diminished as quickly as hypothermia set in.  It became impossible for him to reach the safety of the big red lifesaver.  Cold and exhausted, the man gave up his struggle to stay afloat.  His head slipped under the choppy surface for the last time.

I was aware of the human in the lake.  As I monitored his life signs, temperature and so on, I asked just how long could a human last in his condition.  The answer was that he was in the process of ceasing vital functions.  After some clarification, I realized that the human was literally drowning as water began to fill his lungs.  Exhausted and numbed from the cold, the struggling human was losing the battle to survive as quickly as his awareness diminished.  And, as quickly, the human slipped away beyond the range of monitoring.

I tried to determine what could be done for the drowning human.  Already he had sunk too deep into the dark water to be teleported out.  It was necessary to get the human back to the surface of the lake before any kind of rescue could be made.  I sent four little white globes into the water to search for the drowning human.

The little white globes are essentially remote sensor devices.  They can be made to alter the range of readings that they normally transmit as dataflows.  Normally, the infrared and higher frequencies of electromagnetic energy detection are used for monitoring purposes.  However, infrared sensor readings are a poor search tool in the cold and deep water.  The little white globes failed to detect any kind of a heat trail from the position in the water where the human was last known to be.

A formal search pattern was planned for the little white globes.  Then, the parameters of the planned extensive search had to be altered drastically.  Time was a critical factor and became more critical when it was discovered that the movements of the little white globes were severely hampered by the increasing mass of deeper water.

As a desperate measure, two of the little white globes were reprogrammed to adapt their capabilities to be more efficient in water.  Sensor readings were adjusted from the infrared electromagnetic energy bands to subsonic vibration frequencies.  The reconfiguration processes were very time consuming and could not be relied upon for accurate sensor readings.  Dataflows from the reconfiguring globes would have to be suspect and most likely contain erroneous information.  Inspite of the probabilities, I allowed the critical time-consuming reconfiguration processes to continue.

One of the two reconfiguring little white globes began to indicate a critical internal malfunction.  It was rare although not impossible for a little white globe to malfunction and subsequently be lost.  The little white globe had been given the commands to return to its original configuration before seeking out the nearest ship it could then detect.  At that command, all contact with the little while globe ceased.  It was not determined whether the little white globe had even received the necessary reconfiguration command.

The three remaining little white globes kept circling deeper into the water.  The two little white globes using infrared sensors found that the cold water made them virtually blind. It was decided that one would begin its reconfiguration to replace the lost globe.  The most effective search plan scenario had determined the possibilities of success were significantly greater if there were two little white globes operating on sonar frequencies than if there was only one which could search at any great depth.  The remaining little white globe would try to guide the other two during the time required for their reconfiguration.

Only one of the three was actively searching by using the original search pattern parameters.  This little white globe became a vital navigational link to the other two globes during the final stages of their reconfiguration.  The little white globe continued to search for an elusive heat trail in the cold, deep water as it guided the other two around in the programmed search pattern.

One of the reconfiguring globes began to detect something solid in the water.  It could not determine distance or composition of the object until significant recalibrations had been confirmed.  The unaltered globe began to move in the direction of the unknown object while the other two globes followed.  Other objects became apparent to the sensor readings of the faster reconfiguring globe.  Some lateral motion was evident in the positions of the unknown objects.

From the available dataflow monitoring of the unknown objects, I realized that the globes were merely tracking large fish at their present depth in the lake.  I thought about the possible movements of a limp body in the cold currents of the deeper parts of the lake.  I commanded the little white globes to disregard any objects that displayed any sort of lateral movements.  The search continued, parameters were updated when another globe was dispatched into the water as a relay link to the search group.

It was only a matter of time before the little white globes had completed their internal reconfigurations.  Until then, the only active unit of the search was the little white globe operating in virtually blinded condition while using its limited infrared sensors.  Several false trails of slightly warmer water were found, investigated and discovered to be random eddies of current.

One of the globes finished its internal reconfigurations and began to use a type of sonar.  Dataflows monitored by its sensors allowed some detail of the many unidentified objects detected within its range.  One object that it had detected had displayed some lateral motion as it sank steadily.  That object did fit certain basic characteristics of the missing human.  Its size and steady descent would have identified the object clearly, except for the lateral motion.

I became aware of the object as quickly as the globes could approach its position.  I was able to discern aspects of the human form of the object long before the little white globes could clearly identify it.  The globes converged on the missing human and took up positions around him.  Then, the globes began to attach themselves to various parts of clothing.  Once firmly anchored to the human, they began to ascend to the surface.

The human was in poor condition.  His lungs had completely filled with water, his heart had stopped and no signs of brain activity could be detected.  To all intents and purposes, the human life had ceased its vital functions.  Dataflows from the monitoring of the ‘unconscious’ human included facts that reflected height, weight, age, and other physical characteristics.  Those facts were essential in determining parameters of vital signs that such a human would normally display.  The continuously updating monitoring of the human resulted in a continuous stream of dataflows along the laserlink to the laser network high above the surface of the lake.

The dataflows of monitoring the inert human were sent to the relay globe, up to the surface to the hovering ship, then, on to a Mothership high in a geostationary orbit.  The Mothership processed the dataflows to clarify, enhance and connect comprehensive links to alternative dataflow libraries.  At my level of security, I was able to directly access the stored dataflows in the primary processing so that I could be effective in controlling resulting translations into subsequent dialogues and activities.

With the Mothership’s help, I was able to determine the most effective parameters of existence for the human subject.  Once the guidelines of existence parameters were established and correlating data confirmed those sensitive values, the dataflows were created to carry the relevant information to the inactive human.  The intent was to simply reactivate the drowned human.

The difficulty of activating a human body is significantly immense.  Physical and mental reconstruction of various types of beings had always used some sort of guideline to operate with.  In this case, the vital generalizations were so broadened in value that most of them were completely ineffectual.  The dataflow input into the human failed to cause any kind of real response.  In effect, the best efforts to revive the inert human were unsuccessful.

For the moment, the priority had to be prevention of further damage of critical biomass to the brain and body of the human.  It was imperative to restore blood circulation to maintain levels of oxygen and nutrient levels necessary for critical life functions. Dataflows of revitalizing information were re-examined and confirmed as valid parameters that should have activated functional biomasses of the human.  All the while, biomass functionality of the human was degrading at an undetermined rate.

The immense dataflow libraries of all available information simply did not contain relevant information concerning the reactivation processes of humans.  It was necessary to seek relevant information from the nearest available sources.  The most reliable sources of relevant information were the hospitals and medical teams that successfully dealt with similar problems.

A search of the nearest hospitals began.  What the parameters of the quick search included were that an operation on a human patient must be ongoing, that the patient be an older male patient, and that the human life was in the process of failing.  Of three hospitals in the immediate area, only one had an ongoing operation on a patient.  The patient was a younger female human, in excellent condition, and certainly in no danger of failing.

The little white globe that had found this particular circumstance positioned itself in a ceiling corner of the operating room.  It had been undetected and was closely monitoring the activity in the operating room.  The surgical team was going about its routines, as the operation in progress was well practiced and performed by a competent staff.

The search of all hospitals continued as little white globes scanned operating theaters for ongoing operations.  This particular hospital was the only one at the moment where an ongoing operation was in progress.  It was also the only hospital within effective communication range where activity in any operating theaters had been monitored.  This hospital was going to have to provide critical information about reactivating humans immediately.

The little white globe had been operating in invisible mode as it monitored the surgical theater.  It was still unnoticed as it beamed commands to the female human patient.  The patient was controlled to stop all body functions.  The commands were simply to interrupt the subconscious messages from the brain to the heart and other vital organs of the body that were vital to human existence.

Instantly a buzzer sounded warning and a little red light flashed as the patient suffered complete cardiac arrest.  The doctors disbelieved the buzzer, turned off the annoying sound and began to check their electrical instruments.  The instruments proved to be in working order, so the doctors went on with their operation.  A nurse noted that there were signs of cardiac failure in the patient, who then rushed out to get a specific unit to deal with the cardiac emergency.  The doctors were annoyed with the nurse’s actions at first, but soon realized that she was merely performing part of her duties.

The nurse hurriedly reappeared with a cardiac unit from the next room.  The doctors went about setting up the equipment and checking the settings of the unit.  A nurse attached two large electrodes to the chest of the female human patient while another nurse removed a number of sensors for the electrical units of the operating theater.

While the female human patient was being prepared for an attempt at resuscitation, I checked the status of the male human.  The male human was in an upright position deep in the water of the lake.  Although the human’s body temperature was very cold, he should have responded to the generalized activation commands.  Whatever reasons that prevented the human from activating had to be diagnosed and overcome.

The little white globe in the theater of the hospital was monitoring the status of the female human patient.  A thin laser link to the body of the patient allowed dataflows of relevant information to be gathered and relayed to the laser network of the area.  From the laser network, the dataflows were beamed to a Mothership for enhancement and translation.  Critical activation values of the female human patient were determined and confirmed.  The activation values were then proportioned for values relevant to the larger male form of the human in the deep water.  The continuously updating information of the dataflows allowed considerable details of other relevant information to be determined to better suit the male human form.  From the Mothership, the newly created dataflows of confirmed information were relayed down to the little white globes surrounding the inert human.  Considerable computational resources had to be prioritized for the monitoring of both the female human patient and the male human.

All activity in the operating theater of the hospital abruptly halted when one of the doctors shouted, ” All clear!”  A charge of electric current surged at the flick of a switch.  The charge of electricity traveled through wires to the electrodes attached to the female human patient.  The body of the patient reacted violently to the mild electrocution.  But unknowingly, the surge of electricity was also conducted beyond the female human patient, along the laser link to the little white globe hovering in a corner of the ceiling.

The medical team perceived an amazing sight.  The patient on the operating table convulsed to the electric pulses from the resuscitation unit while visible light current was carried up in a thin straight line to a ceiling corner of the operating theater.  There a small globe flickered into view.  When the electrical current pulses to the female human patient stopped, the thin line of electricity disappeared.  The little globe in the corner of the ceiling remained clearly visible. Shock and confusion of the medical team threatened to disrupt the ongoing procedures.  Several members of the medical team ran out of the closed operating theater.

The little white globe had received an unexpected charge of raw voltage.  The uncontrolled electric current damaged sensitive sensors of the globe, went on to untold damages along the laser network, including the Mothership currently processing laser dataflows of the laser network.  The Mothership recovered instantly and set about repairing the damages to its extensive dataflow libraries.  Simultaneously, the Mothership began checking the path of the raw electric current and the damages it had done in a path along the laser network.

Sphere and I had been in direct laser link communication as I walked in a large circle on lawn grass between the bases of two old maple trees.  A steady procession of little white globes moved up to me, delivered small amounts of precious biomass and other vital materials for my physical consumption.  The same little white globe would then remove a small bit of waste material from my body to be dumped on the ground nearby.  The little white globes were visiting me at the rate of four about every second.

I was completely unaware of the condition my body was in as it walked continuously around in the circle, sweating profusely and smelling terribly bad.  Suddenly, I convulsed and fell to the ground.  Sphere noted that I had been electrocuted somehow, established the last dataflows of the parameters of my existence from seconds before, analyzed the differences, and set about returning me to my previous status and position.

I became aware of my body almost immediately after the electrical shock.  I was in a terrible mess and well aware of the unpleasant sensations caused by the procession of the little white globes.  The ground around me was deep in dark slimy and smelly goo that had covered me well after I had fallen down.  The sight and smell around me was so bad that I started to vomit while one of the little white globes stubbornly tried to put some kind of food into my mouth.  I could only gag instead of clearing my throat and mouth.  Desperately, I tried to move away while the little white globe simply followed wherever I pointed my mouth.

I slipped and fell in the slimy goo covering the ground, rolled over to my hands and knees.  With one hand, I fended off the little white globe trying to feed me while I cleared my self of questionable contents.  Sphere stopped the little white globe and the procession of globes behind it.  I communicated my displeasure at the state I was in to Sphere in no uncertain terms.

Sphere agreed that it was definitely a health hazard to be where I was at that moment.  So, while still gagging and trying to regain my breath as my eyes watered so much that I couldn’t see, I was helped to my feet.  Unsteadily, I was led away from the circular pathway I had created on the ground.  At an area about twenty feet away, I was stopped.  A little white globe began the task of cleaning me up to an acceptable level.  A mist of cold water was sprayed onto me before I was dried with fine phaser beams.  The phaser beams were a pleasant sensation as sound waves vibrated my skin.  Feeling clean and refreshed, I allowed the little white globes to return to their tasks.

I renewed my contact through the laser network to the little white globe monitoring the hospital theater some forty-two miles from my actual position.  I couldn’t get access to that globe, so I checked on the condition of the human deep in the lake.  He was still at about the same depth in the water.  The three globes were having great difficulty in fighting a strong current while trying to raise the heavy body.  I decided to send in the relay globe to assist the lifting process of the human until it was at the surface.  The ascent of the four globes and their human increased dramatically.  I was pleased with that and concentrated my efforts elsewhere.

A replacement globe was sent to the operating theater of the hospital.  It encountered a situation that it could not control.  Panicked medical staff and screaming patients ran in all directions from the hospital.  My monitoring of the situation through the sensors of the replacement globe showed me that another incident was presently evolving.

The quickly moving humans were identified as being from the hospital and targeted with tracking by the little white replacement globe.  A strategy of control was devised as the furthest humans were given commands to return to their previous tasks.  Those individuals stopped running, turned around and started walking back toward the hospital.  It was essential to contain the crowd of fleeing humans.

There was considerable confusion when the emerging rush of people could see others trying to make their way back inside the hospital.  The crowd of people began milling around the entrance to the hospital.  The state of confusion made it difficult to control individuals effectively.  A few stubborn humans had to be herded back into the milling crowd several times.

I thought of the idea to make a public announcement to the effect that the false alarm was over and that everyone should go back to work.  The idea had only a few minor problems in implementation.  The old hospital had no public address system nor did it have fire alarms.   I didn’t consider these as relevant factors as I commanded the replacement globe to go through the hospital to make an announcement on each floor level.  The announcement was prepared as the replacement globe moved to its first announcement position just inside the hospital entrance.

Voice tones of the main floor receptionist announced that the false alarm was over, and that everyone was to go back to work.  The message was edited and confirmed as a valid and believable possibility.
The replacement globe went quickly and invisibly to the end of each floor level to make its announcement.  The effect of the announcement on the first floor had the desired results.  The announcement repeated on the above two floors of the hospital only caused further alarm and confusion in the humans of those floors who were aware of the commotion going on in the main floor level.  The crowd of people outside the hospital began to move back into the building.  Meanwhile, groups of humans began to gather on the upper floors and move down the stairs at each end of the long hospital corridors.

The replacement globe had made its announcements and was sent to search for the little white globe lost in an operating theater somewhere.  The inoperative globe was found in a large room that was presumed to be the operating theater.  A short nurse with a long broom was trying to beat the globe down from its position in the corner of the ceiling.  The frantic nurse was shouting, “Be gone you foul work of the Devil!  In God’s name you are dispelled and cast out!”  The religious invocations went on with each renewed swing of the long broom.  A few others of the medical team were praying at the top of their voices.  The commotion stopped abruptly when the replacement globe beamed a thin blue laser at everyone in the room to put everyone to sleep.  Promptly, everyone slumped to the floor in a state of inactivity.

The replacement globe moved to touch the inoperative globe.    Contact was necessary to run diagnostic and maintenance programs to restart the failed device.  Generalized reconfiguration parameters were necessary to be programmed directly into the halted systems.  At the same time, the extent of critical damages to the globe were determined.  A search for an active globe of the same size and series was initiated.

A door to the operating theater opened.  A nurse walked casually into the room, took one look at all of the prone, sleeping humans and departed in haste.  The nurse ran out the door in search of help for the stricken medical team.  She began yelling, “Gas! They are all gassed in there!  They are all out cold on the floor!”.

Now was the time to pay attention to the deactivated medical team.  One at a time, the medical team was revived and memories of the incident were completely deleted.  Everyone’s memories were deleted back to a normal point in time when they first began to revive the patient on the operating table.  Everyone was queued to restart the resuscitation scenario once again.  The patient was doing well at this point and oblivious to the goings on.

The body of the human and the accompaniment of globes in the lake neared the surface of the water.  Dataflows of vital information burst into the laser network.  The condition of the human was much better than expected as a result of the cold and pressure effects of the deep water.  The status of the accompanying globes revealed that one of the globes had just undergone complete reconfiguration and that it was of the same size and series as the inoperative globe disabled in the operating theater.

Dataflows of critical reconfiguration and operating parameters of the active globe were communicated into the laser network.  The dataflows were relayed to the active replacement globe in the operating theater to be installed into the inactive globe by direct contact.  The inert globe remained motionless until the transfer of all operating parameters had been completed.  At the moment the inert globe reactivated, it acted, reacted and to all intents and purposes was a virtual complete copy of the little white globe in the lake.

There are few recourse options or allowances for error in the short moments of time that it takes a little white globe to gather information, analyze, and consider reactive courses of action.  At one moment, the inactive globe was inert in its corner of the ceiling.  The next moment, it was streaking like a bullet up through structured floors of the hospital. The reactivated little white globe had awakened to the fact that it was seriously out of position and was doing its utmost to return to where it was supposed to be in the lake.

The entire hospital shook with the impacts of the departing little white globe as it encountered the successive floor levels above it and the roof of the building.  A series of holes about ten inches in diameter marked the trajectory of the little white globe.  The air at that end of the building began to fill with dust and particles of debris.  The little white globe ascended to the one hundred foot level above ground, made a right angled turn to level flight in the general direction of the lake and proceeded at top speed.

The medical team in the operating theater awoke to the fact that there was a patient on the operating table before them.  The female patient was in dire need of full cardiac resuscitation.  The medical team went about preparing for the electroshock treatment of the female patient.  A nurse read the monitoring instruments, discovered that the female patient’s heart was beating normally. She was confused by the readings, checked her instruments.  In the meantime, the rest of the team remained of the opinion that the female patient was suffering full cardiac arrest.  The nurse tried to inform the doctor of the change of status of the patient.  The doctor stopped what he was doing and began to listen to the nurse as she began to explain what the operating theater instruments indicated.

The opening of the door to the operating theater interrupted the conversation of the nurse and the doctor.  In strode a tall doctor followed by a gaggle of nurses.  The newcomer demanded to know what was going on in the operating room that could possibly disrupt the entirety of the hospital.  A cloud of dust and falling splinters of wood began to fill a corner of the operating room.  Everyone stopped what they were doing to stare for a moment at the strange sight of dust and debris dropping into a little pile of debris on the floor.

The doctor in charge of the operating theater took charge of the moment.  He stated loudly and bluntly that he was indeed in charge.  There was a patient who was in full cardiac arrest and non-team personnel were to remove themselves immediately.  A brief exchange between the doctors ensued.  Both professionals satisfied themselves of the meeting, turned and started back to their interrupted activities.

The newcomers began to file out of the operating theater.  As an afterthought, the doctor in charge ordered one of the departing nurses to fetch a sheet or something to cover the apparent hole in the ceiling.  The obedient nurse, carrying a folded sheet, reappeared and made her way to the corner of the operating theater.  A male patient’s face on the floor above was filling the hole at that moment.  He remarked, “Yup, clean clear through,” as his eyes found and focused on the exposed form of the female patient on the operating table.  The nurse threw the folded sheet at the face in the hole of the ceiling.  The face disappeared to be replaced with a downflow of dust and debris still raining from higher above.

The sheet fell to the floor at the feet of the nurse as she recovered from the shock of seeing a strange man’s face disappearing from the hole.  She stood for a few moments, pondering how to hang the sheet effectively on the plaster walls of operating theater.  The thought of thumbtacks popped into her head.  Smiling, she went off in the search of thumbtacks.  A short time later, she returned with a short stepladder over her shoulder and a package of thumbtacks.  In a brusque manner the nurse set about tacking the sheet up to the ceiling and walls so that it made an effective curtain.  Satisfied by her efforts, the nurse turned and set about her normal routines.

The medical team in the operating room had finished their preparations for the electroshock resuscitation of the female patient.  The doctor in charge paused a moment before he ordered the nurse to switch on the resuscitation device.  This time, the little white globe monitoring the female patient with a laser link was prepared for the electrical flow, as was the rest of the entire laser network.
The electrical current flowed at the speed of light to its destination.  As the body of the female convulsed to the application of the electrical current, the laser link to the patient conducted a flow of the charge to the little white globe in the operating room.  The little white globe relayed the electrical flow along another laser link to the laser network connecting to the Mothership in orbit.  From the Mothership, the current of electricity was measured, analyzed and sent on its way to one of the globes touching the male human in the water of the lake.  The body of the male human convulsed with the flow of electricity, but otherwise remained inert.  This attempt had failed.

I concentrated my awareness on the little white globe in the operating theater.  The little white globe had remained inconspicuous as it monitored the humans present.  I decided to ask the doctor in charge about the circumstances of the male human to see what could be done that we had not thought of in the resuscitation of the drowned male human.  The conscious humans were put to sleep instantly.  The mind of the doctor in charge was accessed with a laser link.  I began to ask questions at a rate that allowed for the doctor’s replies.  I outlined the current circumstances of the drowned male human to the satisfaction of the doctor in charge.  He advised several requirements which the globes in the water were able to accomplish.

While still in the water, the human male was revived.  The doctor in charge had ordered the globes to evacuate the water present in the lungs, to raise the oxygen content of the bloodstream and to reapply the electrical shock.  The male human responded favorably and was returned to consciousness.  His status was monitored by the accompanying globes.

It is one thing for a man to experience drowning.  It is quite another thing to realize that drowning might involve the awareness of circumstances beyond understanding.  The male human had the momentary connection to the doctor in charge, the momentary connection of my presence in the laser network, an awareness of the multitude of various alien and artificial intelligences in that extensive network while the male human’s eyes beheld the sight of the deep water below him and of the curious little globes that seemed to lift him bodily up through the water at a swift rate to the surface far above.

The male human was overwhelmed by his circumstances.  He became frightened and panicked. Both the doctor in charge and I talked to the male human, trying to reassure him that everything was going to be alright and that he would survive his unusual experience.  This did no good as the male human began to struggle frantically.  I didn’t want to interrupt the connections to his body at that time, so I merely commanded him to go to sleep.  The male human was instantly asleep.

The ship that had been hovering beside the ferry in the middle of the lake moved to a point above the man on the surface of the water.  A landing ramp was lowered and extended down into the water a short distance.  The little globes pushed and pulled the limp human into reach of two short crewmembers standing tethered to a rail on the edge of the landing ramp.  With considerable effort, they pulled the large human up onto the landing ramp as it retracted smoothly back into the bottom of the ship.  As soon as the landing ramp had been completely retracted, the ship went vertical and disappeared as quickly as it could.

The two little white globes that had been reconfigured for underwater work were sent back into the lake to search for the missing globe.  The lone globe rose to a height of about fifty feet before it made a right angle turn and accelerated in the direction of the hospital.  The little white globe hadn’t gone much further than a thousand feet before it detected another fast moving object headed in its direction.

The little white globe informed the laser network of its position and progress as it neared the unidentified approaching object.  Speed and size of the unidentified object initially indicated the possibility that it might be another little white globe.  An attempt to laser link with the object failed.  The laser network also attempted and confirmed failure to respond to initial primary identification commands.  As a last resort, the little white globe targeted the unidentified object with a laser beam.  Then, along the laser beam, sound vibrations of sonar dataflows were transmitted.  Surprisingly, the unidentified object responded with sonar dataflows of its own along the laser beam.  Confirmation of the sonar dataflows was completed as the two little white globes neared each other.

The little white globe had determined that the approaching globe was operating on sonar frequencies.  The laser networks were not accessible for communication purposes by the little globe.  It had been programmed to be a copy of another globe.  This fact was revealed to the little globe.  The two globes neared each other at high speed.  Instead of colliding, they merely circled each other while maintaining velocity at the altitude of fifty feet above the water’s surface.  Their electromagnetic fields were strong enough forces of attraction to keep them orbiting each other at a distance of inches.  All the while, they communicated in sonar dataflows.

The little white globe was able to transmit critical information to the other globe.  The most important part was the renaming of the copied globe to ‘Number Two’.  Number two would not be confused if it should meet itself.  Number Two’s own operating system and identity would remain intact.  A few more adjustments were made and communicated by sonar dataflows to Number two.  Then, Number Two separated from the other little white globe.  One globe went towards the area of the lake where the underwater search and rescue was being conducted, while the other headed as quickly as possible to the hospital.

In the operating theater of the hospital, the female human patient was recovering successfully, as were the humans of the medical team in attendance.  I had assured the doctor in charge that the female human patient would be taken care of for her part in the unusual rescue of the man in the lake.  There were certain things that could be done to radically improve the overall health and functionality of the female human patient.  The doctor in charge thought that would be a suitable present and reward for participation.

The doctor in charge did have some questions for me personally, about how anything of the unusual incident in the operating theater could possibly be explained satisfactorily.  I merely selected a dataflow of information to him as an explanation of some of the background information he had requested.  I also included interesting facts concerning operations he had performed in the past and also might possibly perform in the future.  He perused the information as the operation on the female human patient was completed for him.

As a matter of convenience, the medical team and their patient were kept in the operating theater.  It was not known how the humans outside that room had bided their time during the absence of my awareness.  There were certain indications of chaos and a great amount of human movement in the building.  For the moment, it was only important to contain the greatest number of humans in the smallest available spaces within the hospital area.

Little white globes moving into the hospital area from the direction of the lake were reporting all kinds of human activities.  It was hard for me to visually discriminate the normal routines of humans passing through the area from the random actions of humans trying to escape the hospital area.  At the same time, it was unnecessary to involve innocent passersby who would not have known about the ongoing hospital incident.
A certain amount of observation of each human at a distance outside the hospital was used to discretely select escapees from the hospital.  Once selected as a possible escapee, the human was monitored for signs of elevated mental activity and biological traces of recent high metabolic states of the body.  These two search parameters were easily identifiable in humans without the invasive and time-consuming memory editing processes.  The search and management of individual humans was simplified to a minimum of concern.

Not surprisingly, a few humans had been found well outside the controlled area around the hospital.  Those individual humans were shepherded back to the hospital area as normally and inconspicuously as possible.  There, they joined the crowd of people standing quietly outside the entrance to the hospital.  Outside the hospital, a group of little white globes had converged above the crowd.  The processes of monitoring, editing and confirming alterations of individual humans began.  Processed human subjects, whether patients or staff of the hospital, were prompted to go inside the hospital and wait for further commands.

Methods and strategies of handling memory alterations had become almost standardized.  Although it was necessary for me to oversee most of the programmed work performed by the little white globes, I was able to divert some of my intense concentration to other purposes.  I watched the flow of humanity through the cities and countryside via the laser network and the considerable resources of little white globes.  My extended awareness was such that everything was mapped out in as much detail as was relevant, tinted with colors to denote certain priorities and specific taskings.  To normal eyes it would have been a breath taking view.  To my eyes, it was simply a matter of communicating as accurately and effectively as necessary.

It was determined that an exploration of the upper floors of the hospital was necessary to determine the condition of humans on those floors.  The two globes in the operating theater were selected to remain inside the hospital to best control the humans there.  Those two globes were dispatched to survey and monitor the momentary circumstances of the upper floors through the holes made in each floor by the copied little white globe as it had departed the hospital’s operating theater.

Dust hanging in the air around the holes through each floor had provided something of a cover for the initial movements of the little white globes to the airspace of the second floor.  From their vantage point, I could see a large number of active humans.  No individual human was seen to be in a life threatening circumstance.  The little globes moved on up and into the airspace of the third floor.  There again, I could see a large number of individuals in various states of activity.  Confusion and chaos of humans acting without the presence of any medical staff had made a shambles of the entire floor area.

The little white globes made a high speed pass along the main corridor of the third floor.  The initial survey of the third floor had indicated that something had to be done to restore normalcy and order to the patients trapped on that level of the hospital.  More than a few of the patients were on the verge of causing serious damage to themselves, others around them or to the hospital and its equipment.  Confusion and fear were foremost in the minds of the humans that were monitored.  It was surprising to see the effects of the absence of the normal medical staff from the hospital floors.

I thought how like unsupervised children that the adult patients had behaved in so many ways without the structures of order and discipline that the medical staff had maintained by their simple presence on the hospital floors.  So with that thought in mind, I considered how to return the presence of the medical staff to the chaotic mess that the hospital floors had become.

It was suggested to me that interactive holograms could be used initially.  Then, the real medical staff could take over control from the holograms without trouble.  With this as a guideline, a dataflow library was created to contain relevant factors of the holograms.  A composite of several nurses and doctors were created and refined to be displayed on ionized water vapor particles present in the air.  Confirmation and verification of the resulting dataflows created a hologram of a nurse.

It was thought that a short test of the holographic nurse would be shown in one of the stairways leading to the top floor of the hospital.  A human subject was selected and isolated on the stairway by the two little white globes.  From behind, the holographic nurse walked up the stairway toward him.  A brief interaction took place between the human subject and the hologram.

The resulting test hologram wasn’t completely convincing to a human subject in one of the stairways.  The human subject was not convinced that the hologram was another human person.  The human subject began to suspect something unusual to the point that only a ghost could explain the peculiarities of the visual image that the hologram had created.  The human subject reacted by attempting to flee from the approaching holographic nurse.

The little white globes stopped the fleeing human subject.  Laser link access was established to the mind of the human subject and began exploring the memory structures that caused mental conflicts resulting in the physiological reactions of the human body.  A few moments had to be taken to remove the memories of the incident from the mind of the human subject.  While the memories of the human subject were being altered, it was necessary to access the perceptions available to the mind of the human.

It seemed only a logical progression of events to postpone the alterations of the human subject’s memories.  Instead, the access to the perceptions of the human subject was used as a tool to define and perfect the illusions of the holographic images.  The testing of the holographic images included the background medium of available water vapor and dust particles.  This testing process went on until the holographic images were of an acceptable quality to the human subject’s perceptions.

The first discovery of the holographic imagery testing was the importance of the background medium.  Light had to be reflected at specific angles off small particles suspended in the air to create a holographic image.  Whether the small particles were of dust or water vapor made little difference to the overall appearance of the image, although light intensities had to be varied considerably.  What did seem important was the density of the particles in the air that the holographic image was to occupy.

A pair of holographic nurses was created.  Details were refined as they stood on the stairs beside the human subject.  Parameters of the holographic nurses were determined, confirmed and tested through the sensory perceptions of the human subject.  As soon as the human subject accepted the holographic nurses as being real people, the holographic nurses began to walk up the stairs.

The pair of little white globes occupied the airspace directly above the holographic nurses, invisible to human perceptions.  Before the holographic nurses had reached the top of the stairs, the human subject was used to review and confirm all aspects of the holographic images before having all memory strings of the testing procedures altered or erased from his memory.

The holographic nurses entered the third floor hallway, remaining near the top of the stairway.  Several male patients were arguing and fighting, effectively blocking their way.  Within moments, the unruly human patients were sedated, docile and inert in standing positions.  A quick check of the perceptions of the controlled male patients revealed that the holographic images of the nurses had not been accepted as real images.  This prompted a temporary retreat of the holographic nurses back down the stairway to a landing at the halfway point between floors.

The crowd of humans standing passively outside of the main hospital entrance began to attract attention of passers-by.  One of the controlled humans was selected for the task of advising the passers-by that there was a fire drill in progress.  That simple explanation coming from one of the obviously affected humans seemed to satisfy the curiosity of anyone who cared to ask about what was going on.  So, for the sake of appearances, the crowd of humans was herded into the main corridor of the hospital.

While the humans moved in through the main entrance of the hospital, eight little white globes slowly floated inside above the heads of the moving humans.  In single file, the little white globes moved to a position just outside the large doors of the operating theater.  Moments later, a nurse appeared from inside the operating theater, paused just long enough to admit the group of little white globes.  Once inside the operating theater, the little white globes moved to group beside the sheet covering the hole in the corner of the ceiling.

The nurse walked over to the short stepladder leaning up against the wall within an arm’s length of the covering sheet.  Carefully, the nurse mounted the ladder almost to its top.  She pulled at the sheet until a circular opening had appeared.  Then the nurse descended the ladder before moving on about her normal business.

The group of little white globes shifted position into a single file before disappearing through the hole in the ceiling of the operating theater.  The fourth globe was slightly larger that the preceding ones.  It became wedged in the hole.  Unable to extricate itself, it blocked the access to the floor above for the remaining little white globes.  The remaining little white globes regrouped themselves at ceiling height in the operating theater to wait for further instructions.

A plan was devised to enlarge the hole around the trapped little white globe.  Calculations of laser intensity were determined and thin blue lines of laser from the remaining little white globes appeared to outline the stuck globe.  Fire retardant in the ceiling tiles caused the tiles to become overheated before disintegrating.  A considerable cloud of smoke and a few flames resulted from the laser bursts.  The stuck little white globe remained stuck.

The threat of fire in the operating theater was a dangerous fact, especially in the presence of flammable gases both stored in large cylinders and free in the atmosphere.  Heat and flame byproducts of the laser bursts had to be eliminated immediately.  The four free globes moved in as close as possible to the trapped globe, keeping a safe distance from each other at the same time.  Then, the little white globes began to absorb oxygen from the air around the stuck globe.  The threat of fire diminished to a safe level.

The smell of wood smoke began to spread in the air of the floor above the operating theater.  One male patient noticed the distinctive smell of burning wood.  He became alarmed and began to investigate.  He knew of the hole in the floor at the end of the corridor.  It was his face that had appeared momentarily in the opening to the operating theater just long enough to upset the nurse standing immediately below.  Having overcome his thoughts of dire consequences, he left his room to advance cautiously toward the inexplicable hole in the floor.

It was a great surprise for the male patient to discover the top portions of a round white globe protruding through the opening.  Then the male patient realized that he was looking at other little white globes hovering near the ceiling.  Surprise turned into fear as the male patient turned to flee the strange sight his eyes had beheld.  A thin blue laser beam flashed out from one of the little white globes, connected the fleeing human to the laser network, froze his thoughts of physically reacting to leave him standing in an odd position that left him partially facing the nearby wall.  The mind of the male patient raced as it made one realization after another to the effect that he was trapped in a body that failed to respond to his commands.

What’s more, the male patient found himself participating in a detailed inquisition concerning his complete life.  He found himself reviewing his memories to explain himself and his actions to an unknown person or group of individuals.  It was discomforting to learn that someone or something had invaded his mind so completely that the minute details in memory strings long forgotten were paraded through his awareness.  What possible kind of possession this was he had no idea, only that whatever was affecting him now did so in a completely disconcerting manner.  Chains of thoughts flashed in his awareness like cue cards, relived his store of memories faster than his perceptions could follow, answered a few of his most immediate questions and left him still standing in his awkward position.

The male patient was a formidable being weighing in at just over one hundred and eighty pounds.  The thought occurred to me that the man would be better at the task of freeing the stuck globe than the energy wasteful little white globes.  In a rather jerky manner, the male patient stood himself up straight, turned and walked stiffly to the stuck globe.  A solid right kick only produced a pitched ringing sound.  Several more kicks followed, each with more force than the previous one.  The fourth kick broke loose the trapped little white globe.  The male patient found himself staring down into the hole in the floor once more.  This time his eyes beheld a group of similar little white globes instead of the more familiar scene of an operating theater.

It was decided that the male patient had thus far been an unwilling participant in the ongoing incident.  In his best interests, the male patient was directed to return to his bed until his memories could be properly edited.  The male patient walked back to his room where he stretched out on his bed.  He was in a deep sleep as soon as he closed his eyes.

The cloud of dust hanging in the air of the second floor obscured the presence of the three little white globes.  Dataflows of information from the laser network fed parameters of the holographic nurses that had been formed and paused in the stairway to the third floor.  The holographic capabilities of the three little white globes were reset and synchronized to the new parameters.  The copied images of the two holographic nurses flickered into view, stabilized, and stood waiting in the dust cloud beneath the trio of little white globes.

Meanwhile, the little white globes in the operating theater separated into two groups.  One group stayed in position at the hole in the ceiling, while the other group began to move towards the main doors of the operating theater.  The obedient nurse was prompted to open the doors long enough for the group to pass back into the main corridor of the hospital.  Two little white globes took up strategic positions before waiting for the queue to begin their priority tasks.

The crowd of patients and hospital staff held waiting, filling the main corridor of the hospital.  Two nurses were identified and selected for controlling the crowd of passive humans.  Overlay personalities controlled the nurses’ actions and movements in accordance with commands relayed by the little white globes from the laser network.

The nurses began the process of sorting out the hospital staff from the crowd of passive humans.  Those humans identified as hospital staff, were grouped at one end of the main corridor just outside of the doors leading to the operating theater.  The other humans were sorted out into groups according to the floor of the hospital that they had originally been assigned.  The database of the hospital was accessed and translated into the laser network to determine and confirm the placement of all of the human patients of the hospital.

The main corridor of the hospital became a mass of slowly moving humans.  Groups of humans formed as the sorting process continued.  Once grouped, the humans would simply stand to wait for further instructions.  This was soon discovered to be a poor method of controlling the crowd of people in the narrow confines of the hallway.  Humans trying to get into their respective groups were prevented by the sheer mass of bodies filling the spaces around them.  When the humans couldn’t move anywhere, the ability to obey the commands of the sorting process failed.  The main corridor of the hospital filled with inert and immobile humans.

The little white globes observed that there was difficulty in making the human subjects obey their specific commands.  The sorting commands were repeated without having any further effect.  The sorting commands were analyzed and confirmed as being correctly given to the humans.  Yet, for no apparent reason, the humans were failing to comply with their particularly specific commands.

One of the little white globes determined that failure to comply with the given commands should result in some form of punishment.  A target human was selected and questioned briefly.  The given commands were received and understood by the target human.  The target human was being controlled enough to limit the verbal response to the questioning of the little white globe.  The target human managed only to say the word no without being able to explain why there was reason to refuse to move.  The little white globe generated a mild shock to the skin surface of the human.

No proper response to the given commands was detected as a reasonable compliance by the target human to the little white globes commands.  Another, more severe shock was applied by the little white globe to the target human who had still not moved from the standing position.  A third more powerful shock only resulted in the target human’s screaming in agony.  A fourth shock to the target human only caused the screaming human to collapse into unconsciousness.  At this point, the little white globe ceased its actions to review the results of its intentional infliction of pain to the target human.  Only then did the little white globe request assistance in dealing with what it had considered as incompliant humans.  Meanwhile, the little white globe began running its internal functions diagnostics to determine if there was a fault or other explanation for the command failures in managing the human subjects under its control.

I was made aware of those circumstances only by the fact that a human had been directly affected by a little white globe to the point of life endangerment.  I reviewed the circumstances and response actions of the little white globe as it had tried unsuccessfully to manage the crowd of human subjects in the main corridor of the hospital.   I could not determine that there was anything directly causing errors or inaccuracies in computations necessary for the little white globe to determine its own priorities and following actions.  The little white globe was not at fault in any way.  Only then did I realize that the main corridor of the hospital was impassable.  This was a fact that the little white globe had not determined and it was also the same fact that the human subjects had been aware of all along.  Something had to be done about the crowd of passive human patients before expecting any kind of compliance to movement commands.

Slowly movements began in the hallway leading from the main corridor to the rooms of patients on the main floor of the hospital.  The little white globes went about the business of directing the human patients to their respective rooms on the first floor as efficiently as possible.  As space in the main corridor of the hospital became passable, the line of patients on the first floor of the hospital made their way to their respective rooms.  There, they would lay down to rest until further commands were given to them.

The line of patients from the second floor began to move almost in unison.  Little white globes shepherded the line along the main corridor, through the doors at the far end, and up the stairway to the second floor of the hospital.  The sound of so many feet in motion made a dull thudding sound throughout the structure of the hospital.  Everyone in the second line made their way to their respective rooms, laid down to rest and wait for further commands from the little white globes.

The third line of patients, having waited for their turn, began to move along the main corridor and up the stairway.  At a point about half way between the second and third floors, the moving line stopped on the stairway.   What had stopped the line of patients was one of the little white globes as it displayed holographic nurses and controlled a male human subject.  The tasking priorities of the little white globe took precedence over the advance of the line of human patients.

The little white globe was still adjusting laser intensities of the holographic nurses for passably realistic values.  There was a great difficulty in controlling the density of dust in the air as well as coordinating the laser intensities to show the forms of the two holographic nurses in a manner that would convince human perceptions of the reality of the artificial nurses.  Experimentation was ended when the optimal values of airborne dust particles and laser intensities were determined for optimal realistic effect upon the range of generalized human perception characteristics.

The little white globe began its second attempt to advance along the third floor with the two holographic nurses accompanied by the large human patient.  The first encounter with unruly humans of the third floor was a tactical disaster.  The unruly humans were not convinced of the reality of the holographic nurses and reacted in panic.  In desperation to control the situation quickly, two little white globes moved to a position directly over the heads of the unruly humans, took direct control and stopped the frantic humans immediately.  In an intense questioning, the reasons for the failure of the holographic nurses to be perceived as real humans were discovered and confirmed.  There simply weren’t enough airborne dust particles in the air for the laser to reflect as solid objects.  Meanwhile, the holographic nurses were retreated back to the stairway until the image difficulties could be remedied.

One of the little white globes was given the task of ionizing the air for laser to holograph the nurses’ images effectively.  A second little white globe was given the task of gathering dust particles from the air of the third floor to be deposited in the ionized airspace of the holographic nurses.  The combined efforts to maintain the holographic nurses had lasted briefly before the entire airspace of the third floor was completely cleared of dust particles.  A new source of airborne dust particles had to be found.

Airflow within the hospital was very limited by screen covered windows, and the fact that there was only one stairwell within the hospital.  It was only then that the value of the newly made hole through the three floors of the hospital was realized.  The newly made hole became a vent that allowed the little white globes to move airborne dust particles from the second floor up to the third floor.  The air of the third floor corridor became heavy with the flow of dust particles moving along from the hole in the floor, up along the ceiling and out towards the stairway at the far end of the third floor corridor.

The holographic images of the nurses and their accompanying human patient started out once more.  The fresh supply of dust particles kept the holographic nurses in crisp form as they made their way along the main corridor of the third floor.  Going from room to room, the team monitored, analyzed, treated and otherwise stabilized the human patients as they were found.  Minor ailments and some easily accessible medical problems were dealt with while patients’ minds were edited and commanded to wait for a specific wakeup call.  The interactive processing of the third floor human patients went on until once more, a human patient’s perceptions detected that the holographic nurses were not real, that they were only slightly fading images.

The human patient had a great mental conflict about the holographic images of the nurses.  Being a stoically religious person, the human patient had taken the failing holographic images as being ghosts or evil spirits.  A frantically loud and intense voice was heard to be calling out for the help of God, the Holy Trinity, and a list of other religiously important personages.  Direct laser contact was instantly established to prevent the human patient from further outcries.  To the human patient’s sense of awareness, several ghosts had entered his hospital room, walked towards his bed, and then everything went black.

The team was paused in the hospital room.  The mind of the human patient was monitored and analyzed in detail.  Analyzes of the human patient’s memories only confirmed that the holographic images of the nurses had deteriorated considerably.  Comparisonal dataflows confirmed that the presence of dust particles in the ionized air forming the images of the holographic nurses had been depleted significantly.  A supply of dust particles had to be found that would supply the need of maintaining the holographic images.

In curiosity, I initiated a detailed analysis of the composite airborne dust particles remaining within the confines of the ionization fields defining the holographic nurses.  Before the results of the detailed analysis were relayed to me, I began to source the most likely causes of airborne dust in the atmosphere of the hospital.  The cause of airborne dust in the air of the hospital was found to be from the plaster composite used in the hospital walls.  The detailed analysis results of the airborne dust in the holographic nurses only confirmed the fact that plaster dust was the most prevalent dust particles in the air sampled.

A new search was initiated to source the origin of the airborne dust particles.  Almost immediately, it was found that a new wall section had recently been put into the operating theater of the hospital.  By coincidence, the wall happened to be adjoining the corner where the hole in the ceiling had been made.  The hole would become an important part of the transferring of dust particles up to the third floor where the holographic images were to be used.  The route was defined, and tested by samples of plaster dust being transferred along a defined route.  The holographic images of the two nurses improved considerably.

All the while a line of human patients stood, lining the staircase from the bottom floor to the top floor, and along the wall to the room of the patient.  With the holographic images of the nurses back in control, it was only a matter of time before all of the humans were back in their own rooms.  I had to supervise the ongoing administrations of the holographic nurses to the human patient.  It was necessary to do this because the attendant little globes were not capable of dealing with momentary situations involving human responses.

One by one, the patients lined up along the hallway of the top floor, were conducted to their respective rooms.  Each patient was summarily examined and treated.  As soon as that patient was considered in a stable condition, the next patient was similarly managed.  When all of the patients of the hospital were back in their beds, little white globes moved at top speed through the hospital to confirm the status of each and every human.  A signal was given and on that queue, normal hospital routines began.  The only exception to all of this was in the operating theater of the hospital.

In the operating theater of the hospital, a wall was in a terrible condition.  It was kept from view of anyone who happened to have reason of entering the theater for any reason.  Two little white globes were kept positioned at either end of the disintegrated wall to control any humans from viewing the actual state of the wall.  The little white globes remained in their positions until the wall was repaired later in the day.  All of the other little white globes were withdrawn from the hospital area to other areas of concern.

The little white globes departed in two main directions, one direction to the north and the other direction to the south.  The group headed south didn’t have to go very far before they reached the area of the docks.  At the dock area, a large crowd of humans was intent on watching something unusual going on out over the middle of the lake.   Most of the gathered humans had been awaiting the arrival of one of the lake ferries that moved vehicular traffic from one side of the lake to the other.

The crowd of humans in the dock area represented three distinct types of humans.  One group was already tagged for memory editing as having already seen something unusual, while a second group comprised the remainder of humans that had seen something unusual.  And, the third group of people was simply curious onlookers who had no idea of what was going on at that time.  It was an exercise of strategy and capabilities to manage the control of such a large crowd of humans.

The little white globes approached the dock area from the north.  They moved fast and low to the perimeters of the area covered by the gathered humans.  From strategic positions, the little white globes began the control of individuals in the crowd.  The first to be controlled were the people at the outside of the crowd.  These people were then utilized as a barrier to the people inside the perimeter defined by the controlled humans.  The people at the outside of the crowd began to move inwards, compressing the personal space available for each person.  The compression of the crowd stopped only when there was no more space available for the people to move into.

The little white globes began the process of identifying humans who had already been tagged for memory editing processes.  These people were dealt with first.  Their memories were examined, edited and otherwise managed for the benefit of the particular individual.  Each human was separately examined, managed and controlled to values determined to be best for that individual.  In a short time, the crowd of people at the dock area were managed and controlled to remain quiet until they were queued to resume their normal activities of the day.

The crowds of people in the dock area were effectively managed.  The ferries out in the middle of the lake were allowed to proceed on their courses.  The two ferries made their way to the respective dock areas and the controlled people were queued to resume their normal activities as if nothing unusual had happened.  The ferries discharged their cargoes of vehicles as passengers walked off.  In an orderly, if not overcrowded condition, the ferries were reloaded for another crossing of the lake.

The group of little white globes moved invisibly away from the dock areas at the height of waves on the lake’s surface.  Miles away from the dock area, the little white globes left the lake area and moved inland to other key positions where they were needed.  In careful strategy, the little white globes moved from one area to another, controlling humans as necessary along their way.

The original incident was nearing its final course of evolution.  Minor incidents were culminated in significant alterations of those particular humans directly involved, the tagging of secondary humans for later monitoring and possible editing of memories, and of confirming the resumption of normal events and occurrences in the mundane courses of human endeavors.

The original incident was merely a progression of evolutions and interventions to bring about the same effects upon everyone and everything as if the original incident hadn’t happened in the first place or was relegated the same significance as if the incident were only part of a complex work of fiction.  It was presumed that should there have been anyone who escaped the memory editing processes, their tales of sightings would simply not be believed by anyone in the vicinity of the original incident.  It was only presumed that some details of the memory editing processes had not been as perfect for everyone involved as was indicated by random monitoring of individual humans.

Monitoring of the people involved in the original incident was continued on a regular basis for about a month afterwards.  None of the thousands of people who actually viewed an unusual sighting, odd occurrences, or who were told of the odd goings on, none managed to escape the beneficial monitoring and probable memory editing processes.  In a simple statement, the incident was completely controlled to the extent that it didn’t occur as a mass sighting.

Critical evidences and memories of the original incident were erased completely from human consciousness.  It would appear that the incident had never happened.  The actual memories were either separated from the mundane human memory processes to remain as complete, although detached memory strings; or, in rare cases, actually altered into new algorithmic patterns to simulate alternative memory sequences within the human memory processes.  There were several methods to bring about this effect of altering real memories into new and accepted memories in human consciousness.

This method of creating artificial memories was not desired because of the mental conflicts that were created and or not allowed for.  The algorithmic patterns used to compute the evolving memory strings had a tendency to degenerate valid memory strings into dream-like gibberish.  Only when the mistakes were glaringly evident in the personality of the particular subject could any effort be made to make corrections.

Memory corrections meant that more time and effort was necessary.  The original memories had to be erased in order to erase and regenerate new and more acceptable memory strings.  Such mistakes were only found out after the human subject had already become accustomed to the new memories that made it all the more difficult to alter into conformity with already accepted reasoning and mental conflict patterns.  So, a pattern of checks and confirmations had to be planned and carried out in days and weeks ahead.  In this way, the overall effects of the original incident could be effectively managed and controlled so that nothing of consequence would arise.

I maintained a direct communication link, so that Sphere considered me to be as safe as possible. As I walked past the front steps of the school, a group of four young students, who were attending the school for the first time, cautiously approached me.  They were obviously frightened, yet they still approached me.

I was surprised when one of the students came right up to me. The brave young person said that I wasn’t supposed to bring my invisible friends to school.  Invisible friends were only supposed to be played with at home when no one was around.  I became very serious and said that there was no harm intended by my invisible friend.  I had thought it wasn’t a very good idea in the first place and now there was all kinds of trouble for it.  They all agreed with me and I said that I would see what I could do to send it back home where it could wait for me.

At about nine fifty-five AM, I was advised by Sphere that all editing of memories had been completed sufficiently enough for the normal processes of school to begin.  I suggested to Sphere that it might be a good idea to stage a short scene wherein I commanded Sphere to return home.  The students at the front of the school where I stood could be left with memories of my invisible friend being sent back home.  This would be a morale stabilizing effect for those who were still apprehensive about the strange goings on at the school.

Sphere agreed that such a scene would remove any doubts about the safety of the school from the dangers of the presence of my invisible friend.   Sphere was not really seen by anyone, so it was easy for an image of a sort of ghost to be portrayed fleeing the area.  That scene was rather spontaneously evolved and evidently successful.  Word spread rapidly through the school that the unwanted visitor had been seen leaving.  Many minds became more stable in knowing that the strange visitor had been controlled finally and no longer interfered with the students.  Normal school routines were started at about ten o’clock that morning, and continued normally until noon.

The morning classes were more of an introductory session rather than the preparation for the school year. And too, familiarization of the school layout and the school’s routines were practiced.  The school day was to be broken up into seven periods separated by ten-minute breaks.  One recess break and one lunch break were also scheduled during each day.  Each period would be devoted to time in one class or another.  The ten-minute breaks were to allow students to walk to their lockers, get the necessities for the next class and to make their way to that class.  It was very confusing for some of the new students, especially me.  I kept thinking of ‘fire’ every time the school’s bells rang.

Forty to fifty students filled each classroom to capacity.  The teachers had no difficulty in controlling the large groups.  Many of the students were still suffering from the effects of their being controlled by Sphere earlier in the morning.  Dutifully, the teachers introduced themselves and took attendance.  Course summaries and lists of required supplies were handed out.  Summarized introductions to the courses were given as time permitted.

At noon, school was dismissed for the day and everyone left the school.  I boarded the same schoolbus for the trip home.  The route home was simply a reverse of the morning route.  Where I had been one of the last ones on the schoolbus, now I would be one of the first ones off.  I sat in the same seat at the back as I had during the ride to school in the morning.  I sat quietly, staring out of the window beside me while thinking of the events of the morning.

The ride home was long and boring although it did allow me some time to think.  The short walk with my younger sister from the schoolbus stop to home was uneventful as well.  At the kitchen door, Mom stood patiently waiting for us to arrive.  My sister was slightly behind me as I walked to within ten feet of the outside screen door held open by Mom.  From around the corner of the house, past the open door and out of sight of both Mom and my sister, I saw the visible air distortion and a bit of Sphere’s metallic curvature.

I was a bit surprised by Sphere’s presence, although I didn’t dare show my concern.  I merely greeted my Mom and said that there was something at the corner of the house I had to see before I would come inside.  Casually, I walked around the corner of the house to greet Sphere.  I told Sphere that I had to change from my best school clothes into play clothes and have a snack before I could come outside to play.  Sphere confirmed the delay in our daily session schedule and adjusted certain timings accordingly.  A brief dataflow communication occurred before the short meeting ended.

Hurriedly I walked back to the open door where my Mom still stood frozen to the open screen door.  My sister had paused mid-stride up the steps to the open kitchen door.  I resumed my marked position and confirmed my readiness.  A bright flash of laser light in my eye marked the moment when both my Mom and sister resumed their physical motions.  I simply continued along my previous course as if nothing had interrupted my steps to the open door.  It was a certain fact that neither my Mom nor my sister had any idea of anything unusual having just occurred.

It was only ten minutes or so before I was ready to go back outside.  I had changed my clothes in my bedroom, gulped down a tall glass of powdered skim milk and several home made cookies.  With a short and severely censured summary, I told Mom about some of the things that had happened at school.  A list of school supplies and other items were typed up on a sheet of paper.  The lists of necessities for both my sister and I, had become a familiarity.  While my sister began describing her first day at school, I edged closer to the kitchen door.  At the right moment, I quickly slipped out past the screen door.

I fairly ran through high orchard grass to the crest of the ridge behind our property.  At the base of my favorite tree, I sat in position to wait my daily session with Sphere.  I had to settle my breath and concentrate on my body controls to prepare for an interactive session.  A few moments later, Sphere appeared in front of me, connected with blue laser light to my forehead, and began the interface sequences.  As I began to interact with laser dataflows, my relaxed body all but virtually disappeared from worldly view.

Sphere and I began to review and summarize the events of the day.  There were so many things to resolve and confirm as having been dealt with effectively.  It was only then that mistakes and oversights were discovered in methods and routines concerning individual incidents.  I found certain problems and suggested possible solutions to complexities that Sphere had encountered.  For the next two hours, Sphere and I concentrated upon management and solutions of many specifics at our own leisure.  It was only then that a glaring oversight was found to have occurred.

During the morning’s initial evolutionary stages of a secondary incident, two carloads of people had escaped.  The concentration of attentions and resources to control the hospital incident had allowed the failure to track the two vehicles last seen departing in haste from the ferry dock area.  I began to snicker at the thought that humans had indeed escaped ultimate detection and control capabilities.  Silly and stupid humans had somehow managed to do the impossible of defying the sentient power that I knew and had commanded.  My laughter was cut short by Sphere’s interruption.  Was I a possible traitor in the circumstances that I had found so laughable?  Was I a source of aid to the escapees?  Was there any basis for suspecting my involvement in all matters?  I stopped laughing.

It took considerable concentration and many denials to convince Sphere that I had no part in the escape of any humans at any time.  Nor would I condone any action or inaction to defy or otherwise deter the intentions and commands I had been given.  It was a considerable responsibility for me to be participating in the management of the evolving incidents.

The search for the two carloads of missing humans began in earnest.  An aerial survey of the city and its immediate surroundings was taken.  Detailed summaries of infrared and spectroscopic analysis of all moving vehicles was compared to samples determined from the dataflows showing the last known presence of the two vehicles being searched for.  While the comparisons were made, other surveys of the surrounding countryside to the north, east, and south of the city were programmed and executed.  Still nothing of the two vehicles could be found.  Then, on a country logging road about forty miles south from the city, there was found two vehicles that generally matched the description of the search parameters.  A little white globe was sent to investigate.  The surveying and data comparison tasks continued.

Within two minutes, information was being received from the little white globe.  It’s uploads of dataflows to the laser network confirmed the location of the two carloads of escaping humans.  Monitoring of the two vehicles confirmed the detailed comparison parameters of the search to the dataflow information stored in a dataflow library of one of the Motherships.  The little white globe continued to send dataflows until the identities of the individual humans in the two vehicles could be determined.  The search for the two missing carloads of humans had ended.

Two carloads of humans do represent a small group.  But, it is at the limit of capability for a single little white globe to manage effectively.  A plan was devised to single out the cars and edit the memories of those humans one carload at a time.  The plan was simple and seemed to be the best for the circumstances.  The little white globe moved into a position just above the roof of the second of the two cars.  Ionizing the wire leading from the battery terminal stopped the second car’s motor.  It wouldn’t carry electricity temporarily.

The second car spluttered and coasted to a stop.  The first car kept on going, bumping and scraping its way along the old logging road.  The tired humans inside the first car were completely unaware of the fact that the second car had stopped.  As soon as the first car had disappeared from sight, the little white globe moved into a position beside an open window of the stopped car.  Laser links to the humans were made and initial subconscious commands were given.

The humans inside the second car were tired and thirsty from their long and difficult journey.  It was easy to make their awarenesses respond to subtle commands.  The first command was to avoid noticing anything unusual.  The second command was to blink, to try to remove the sleepiness from their eyes.  The third command was to initiate deep sleep processes as soon as their eyelids had closed in the process of blinking.  In the time it took for everyone in the second car to blink, they were deep asleep.

The editing process of managing the memory strings of the sleeping humans was very fast.  I supervised the manipulation of certain memories to delete specific incidents from their memories completely.  Other significant memory strings were simply separated from connection to the conscious control of the minds.  Significant mental conflicts were examined and resolved to my level of satisfaction.

When the sleeping humans awakened, at a specific queue, they would only know that they were simply following the lead car.  Whatever reason for their following that car would be long forgotten.  It would be up to individual motivations to act accordingly when the journey through the forest had been completed.  I was pleased by the speed and simplicity of the management of the carload of sleeping humans.

The little white globe moved on to catch up with the first carload of humans.  It was thought to use the same techniques that resulted in the successful management of the second carload of humans.  But, it was not to be so easy.  The increased awareness levels of the individual humans had not been anticipated.  The little white globe was spotted as it came up from behind.

Almost immediately, the humans exited the still moving car.  In different directions, the adult humans moved at amazingly fast speed through the thick forest.  The car kept rolling along, came to a corner, and went off the road to stop at the base of a very large tree.  The motor stalled and quiet settled into the area.

The little white globe began the task of tracking the fleeing humans through the dense foliage of the forest.  It became an increasingly difficult task, as the search area for the humans grew larger.  And, humans are not easily managed, especially when highly agitated.  Carefully, and as efficiently as possible, the little white globe set out after one of the humans.

It soon became an exercise of search pattern routines and parameters.  Very complex commands were created to assist the little white globe in its task, transmitted by the laser network from various sources and implemented by the searching little white globe.  All the while, the little globe returned dataflows to the laser network, recording its progress in the search.  Estimated possible position of the targeted human was calculated by using information observed in the recorded dataflows of the last known moments in which this particular human had been visible.  That estimated position had been reached and passed without sighting anything of the targeted human.

A secondary search pattern was created and confirmed as the little white globe began to search in an increasingly larger spiral pattern.  At the same time, a review of all dataflows from the little white globe was made by one of the Motherships that was storing these particular dataflow libraries.  Random spot checks of the information stored in the dataflow libraries of the little white globe’s search had no new results.  By chance, the Mothership recognized a partial view of a human form in the dense foliage of the forest.  The exact position of the little white globe at that particular moment was calculated, confirmed and sent back to the little white globe.  The little white globe moved to the position indicated by the Mothership.  The targeted human had been found.

The targeted human was lying in a prone position under thick foliage of bushes.  The foliage had acted as a cover for the human as the little white globe passed close by the hiding human.  Quickly, quietly, the little white globe took up a position about a foot away from the head of the prone human.  To the human’s awareness, a little white beach ball flew up into view before his lights of awareness were switched off.

The little white globe had initiated transferring processes to instill commands into the mind of the human subject.  Simultaneously, dataflows of information from the human subject were transmitted directly to the laser network.  From the laser network, dataflows were analyzed for specific information.  As quickly as the physical and mental parameters of the human subject were received, they were used to form routines of commands and limiting factors.  In the space of time that was the bright flash to the human subject’s awareness, he was controlled completely, his memory strings edited and slowly he began to make his way back to the car.   At the car, he was programmed to sit down and go to sleep.

The little white globe, having completed its immediate tasks, set off to search for the remaining human subjects.  From an optimal height of fifty feet above the terrain, the little white globe moved through a specific search pattern at rate that would allow for reasonable dataflow translations and analysis.  The sensory capabilities of the little white globe were set to full visual mode.  At the end of every two-minute period, the little white globe would switch to full infrared and sound mode for a space of half a minute.  Then the mode would switch back to full visual capabilities.  This alternating of modes during the search was to allow the best use of the little white globe’s search capabilities.

The high-speed intense search of the little white globe soon found another human subject.  Connection of the human subject to the laser network was established and confirmed.  According to the dataflow information concerning the parameters of the human, commands were imitated and adapted specifically to match the requirements of the second human subject.  Now there were two human subjects slowly making their way back to the car at the base of the large tree.

The search for the third human subject began.  Long moments went by as estimated time and distance factors decreased the likelihood of success.  Each passing moment meant greater odds of escape for the fleeing humans even under the most ideal search conditions.  Search patterns were calculated to adapt the capabilities of the little white globe to allow for changes in the elevations and densities of foliage.  Trails through the dense foliage of the forest that would allow easy passage of human sized bodies were identified.  These trails were more likely used by the fleeing humans as escape routes to run along.  The maze of trails were incorporated into primary search patterns and examined at random for signs of recent disturbances.

The little white globe moved at high speed through the air at an altitude of fifty feet above the most probable trails defined in its search patterns.  Dataflows of information were transmitted to the laser network.  From the laser network, a Mothership analyzed the dataflow information for clues and evidences indicating possible passage of a human form in various poses.  In this way, a positive identification of a trail was confirmed and relayed to the little white globe.  The little white globe redefined its search patterns as it detected the trail left by the escaping human.  Within a short distance, the human was found hiding in dense foliage of bushes off to one side of the trail.

The little white globe positioned itself over the prone human and began to access the mind of the human.  With some difficulty, the human extracted himself from concealment.  Stiffly, the human stood up straight to receive the remainder of subliminal commands to return to the car and wait for further instructions.  The little white globe left the area for the fourth search area.

The search for the four escaped humans had taken considerable resources needed elsewhere while one human still remained at large.  I decided to shorten the search by using a trick I had learned by watching a movie.  The trick was to call out and bait a response.  When the little white globe had positioned itself in the most likely part of the new search area, I confirmed that what I wanted of the little white globe was well within its capabilities to carry out.

The little white globe sounded out the mimicked voice of the human that had just been found.  The loud voice of the man sounded clearly through the forest.  The words and inflections of the sounds had been chosen with considerable calculations to elicit a response from the remaining human in hiding.  No response to the voice was in evidence.  The little white globe moved on to another position and repeated the sounds of the calling human.  Still, no response was detected.  The little white globe moved on to another position and tried again and again.

The calling sounds of the human as recreated by the little white globe were perfect recreations of the man’s voice.  To ensure perfection of the wording and inflections, I listened to the sounds being created by direct access.  The sounds rang out clearly in the forest.  I listened as the sounds were repeated several times.  That was when I realized that in the place of the hiding human, I would be more than naturally disposed to be suspicious of the man’s calling out into the forest.  I thought a little variation to this was a better idea.

The man’s voice called out once more before it changed.  In a questioning tone, the man stopped his shouting to ask, “Is that you?”  There was a short scream of a highly disturbed voice trying to mouth the single word of bear.  The scream intensified and was followed by rapid and violent shaking of bushes.  A few more screams were heard before silence descended to the forest once more.

The human in hiding had heard enough of the sounds to surmise that he was needed faster than immediately.  He ran towards where the sounds had seemed to emanate.  At the same time he yelled that he was on his way to help.  The human had covered a short distance at an incredible rate, slid to a halt as he cornered around a big bush.  There, in front of him was a little white globe instead of the human in distress.  Thus ended the final search pattern for the missing humans.

The little white globe followed the man back to the others waiting at the car.  The car was restarted and reversed along the road to where the second car had stopped.  When the first car had reversed back to the position of the second car, two more little white globes joined the first one and began the processes of editing the memories of the humans.

The process of editing memories was not an uneventful task.  A few of these human subjects were more difficult to manage than most humans would have thought to be.  They were very resistant to the normal controls and commands used to control humans.  It was a curious exploration of events and conditions to effectively manipulate the group’s overall memory sequences to eliminate mental conflicts and associations of facts in such a way that previous memories were not questioned to explain why the group had been on a ride into the wilderness.

A plausible scenario was evolved involving the group’s combined memories of that day.  It was a considerable effort to resolve the artificial scenario to everyone’s satisfaction since everyone had been significantly affected by the day’s events.  Eventually, the plausible scenario was firmly established over the actual events of the day and confirmed as acceptable to all of the humans concerned.  The little white globes left the area as soon as their duties were completed.

The little white globes were returned to their respective ships.  The Ships departed atmosphere as quickly as their duties were finished.  The Motherships were the last to leave their positions high in the atmosphere.  They had remained as a control of the entire area of the original incident.  They had managed all of the communications by laserlinks and of course the human originated forms of communications including radar contact suppression.  No one, nor anything, was allowed to give away the fact that the original incident had even occurred.

One afternoon, I came home from school as usual.  I dropped my school homework on my bed, grabbed a few cookies from the cookie jar in the kitchen, sloshed down a glass of water and hurried outside.  I ran behind the house and started to climb the small hill at the south end of our family’s property.  At the top of the knoll, I went to my favorite tree and sat on the ground to lean against the trunk of the cottonwood.  I waited for a short while before Sphere came to me.  We began our intense communication as usual via the laser link.

I accessed the levels of hard computational capability of Sphere as a diver plunges into deep water.  The farther into the hard computational areas I ventured, the more complex were the revealing codes for the data flows.  Much the same as water, the revealing codes were more compressed and the layers of crystal interfaces more complex until I faced the user-friendly personal identification form of Sphere.  Within microseconds of time, I had journeyed through miles of crystal latticework and crystal interfacings to reach my own designated area of living crystal computational capability deep within Sphere.  I settled myself for the tasking ahead and then, proceeded to pose questions for Sphere to answer.  Sphere was ready as soon as I was to begin our time together.

I soon learned that my adventure into the fields of knowledge within Sphere were to be purposefully shortened.  I was to go home and sleep until nine o’clock this evening in preparation for an object landing to take place nearby.  I was programmed to prepare my body to ready itself for a possibly long trip and rest as much as possible until the estimated of the landing would take place.

I hurried through many questions during the short time allowed.  I slowly walked back to the house and lay down for a nap until suppertime.  I rushed through supper at about six o’clock, and returned to my bedroom.  I hastened to fall asleep as quickly as possible, thinking of odd ideas that came to mind about the possibilities of what was to occur later.

At about nine o’clock in the evening, I put on a warm jacket and sneaked quietly out into the darkness. Sphere was waiting for me in one of our orchard’s apple trees nearby.  Sphere greeted me and began to guide me across the highway in front of our property.  I easily climbed the hill on the other side of the road.  The darkness of the night and the tall orchard grass allowed me to be almost invisible as I went to the area where the object would be landing.  Sphere and I found a good place for me to hide as I waited in the darkness for the landing to occur.  I settled down to quietly wait for whatever to happen.  Sphere left to carry out some specific tasking priorities necessary for the landing to be carried out as discreetly and safely as possible.

The evening stars were soon blocked out as dense mist rolled in over the area where the landing was to be.  Sphere and I determined what thoughts I should maintain while in the landing area.  I lay huddled in my hiding place, thinking only that I was a field mouse waiting for a beetle to emerge from the tall grass before me.  I stayed like that as long as I was to keep myself concealed.  I kept thinking that the mouse was hungry, but it would be patient and wait for the beetle to emerge from the grass.

About ten forty-five PM, I heard the distant passage of people walking through the tall grass toward the landing site.  I moved, cautiously ventured out of concealment to see who would be in the area.  I saw two couples walking as quietly as they could across the slope of the hill to the landing site.  They were not known to me.  They whispered to each other as they went purposefully to the east side of the landing site.  I was careful not to be seen by the strangers who were obviously as concerned about their presence in the area as I was.  I moved back into my place of concealment and continued to wait.

About eleven o’clock, I noticed a yellow light suddenly appear in the air above the landing area.  The yellow light became brighter and grew into a ten-foot thick column of intense light.  The column of light reached a hundred feet to the ground and held steady.  Moments later, dark forms could be seen slowly drifting down within the column of yellow light.  Patterns of swirling sparkles whirled about the edges of the column of yellow light above the tops of the dark forms gently floating down.  At the ground level, the dark forms stepped forth from the yellow column of light.

The object had arrived, and the crew was now on the ground to meet the strangers who had journeyed out to meet them.  The greetings were brief and all present shook hands in turn.  One of the crew had a box shaped object slung at his side from which he pointed the end of a cord in various directions.  When he pointed the thing in my direction, an alarm went off in the box.  Very quickly, three of the crew began moving toward me while the other two hurried the four strangers to the yellow column of light.

I decided it was time to move from my place of concealment.  As quickly and stealthily as I could manage, I crawled through the tall grass until I reached a shallow drainage ditch.  I was still crawling along when someone tripped over me and sprawled flat out on the ground beside me.  I could make out some screaming in English.

“What are you?  I am being attacked on this hateful planet and I don’t know what you are!” The screaming reverted back to an unintelligible language.

“I am a mouse!” I yelled as I continued to struggle.  I groaned out, “A hungry mouse waiting for a beetle!”

“The mouse caught me!  The mouse caught me!  Help me!  The mouse caught me!” The screaming became shrill as I bit down hard on a bare limb entrapping me.  “Hurry!  The mouse is eating me!”
I sprang up and tried to run away.  I didn’t go more than a few yards before the other two short crewmembers had tackled me to the ground.

We all struggled for a bit before we were standing and facing each other.  The crewmembers were about to do something nasty to me when Sphere zipped to my side to protect me from harm.  The crewmembers backed away from me as they realized that Sphere was about to defend me from their advance.  Nothing messes with a Sphere especially when it begins to vibrate loudly and glow brightly, flashing waves of colors and rays.

Quickly the situation was explained to the very upset and angry crewmembers who also feared for their lives because of the deadly presence of the Sphere at my side.  I was introduced by Sphere as the Pet of Sphere, authorized User of Sphere, qualified Logistics Repair Mechanic and authorized landing zone personnel.  The shocked crewmembers hastily formed themselves into a line of attention.  One by one, the shaking crewmembers stepped forward, politely introduced themselves, and we shook hands.  The other crewmembers stood aside and I was formally introduced to the four humans who had appeared at this rendezvous site.

Formalities done, everyone began to walk back towards the transport area.  I asked Sphere if I could accompany the crewmembers to the column of yellow light that was produced by the object hovering at an altitude of one hundred feet overhead.  The proper authorization for me to be in the vicinity of the object was confirmed by Sphere as I walked with the crewmembers over to the yellow column of light.  I took my turn as the last of the people who walked across the tall grass to the base of the yellow column of light.

I followed the last crewmember until he reached the base of the column of light.  He turned to me and said a few words of good-bye.  Then, he turned again to walk slowly into the base of the yellow column of light.  When he reached the center of the yellow column of light, he began to rise slowly, effortlessly from the ground.  I waited for moments until the last of the crewmembers had almost disappeared above me.  Quickly, without warning, I jumped into the middle of the yellow column of light.  I saw sparkles appear swirling around me in the outer edges of the yellow column of light.

I began to slowly rise from the ground too.  I felt the hair on the back of my head stand up, as if affected by a magnet of some kind.  I continued to ascend to the invisible object overhead.  As I rose upwards into the yellow column of light, I could see the people rising above me while all around us at the edge of the yellow column of light swirled the bright sparkles I had noticed before.  Slowly, the details of an open hatch in the underside of the object became clearer.  One by one, we all went through the open hatch.  As soon as I had passed into the open hatch, the yellow column of light blinked out.  I was left standing alone in a circular room in total darkness.

I don’t like darkness.  I panicked and screamed.  I heard Sphere’s reply and inquiry why I was so upset.  I said to turn on the lights.  After a brief moment, Sphere determined my position and lights dimly illuminated the small circular room.  I began to see again and my fears subsided.  Sphere informed me that I should not stay where I was.  I was in a dangerous place.

I didn’t want to be as afraid as I was.  My mind played havoc with my fears for a bit before I managed to regain some semblance of self control.  I stood still for a few minutes before I found the seamless door leading from the circular room.  I followed the vague outline of the door, carefully searching for the doorknob or control.  I couldn’t see anything to indicate a control panel, so I began to push on the door a little bit.  It moved a little bit.  I slid back the door enough for me to slip through to the other side.  Freed from the trap, I stepped out of the circular room straight into the backside of someone.  As the tall man looked to see what had bumped him, I motioned with my finger over my mouth to signal silence.  He was surprised to see me as he turned his attention back to what was before him.

The tall heavyset man was standing behind a number of humans who stood around the walls of the circular room.  All were intently watching the crew of five aliens who were busy with the controls of the ship.  There was something wrong with the object we were in and the crew was desperately trying to correct the problem.  About two minutes after I had left the circular room, the controls of the object returned to normal.  The crew was not sure of what they had done to correct whatever the problem was, but everything seemed normal.  The object wobbled as it continued on with the programmed agenda of the mission.

I stood behind the tall man for a while.  The next scheduled stop of the mission was ten minutes later.  Somewhere on the North America continent, the object slowed to hover as more humans were gathered.  Three of the crew began to leave their control panel positions.  They stood up from where they were seated and began to shoulder their way through the humans to the door of the circular room.  I realized they would see me, so I darted behind the column of the circular room in the middle of the interior of the object. I wanted to keep hidden from the crewmembers.  The adult humans helped me.  I told a few of them that I was a stowaway when I was asked why I needed to hide.

The object wobbled on into the agenda of the mission.  The wobbling was making some humans motion sick and really bothered the members of the crew.  There was something very drastically wrong with the movement functions of the object.  The crewmembers continued to try to find out exactly what the problem was.  There didn’t seem to be an answer to the malfunction of the object.

I stayed huddled behind the circular column in the middle of the interior of the object.  A couple of times, one of the crewmembers would stray from the control position or from the front of the object’s interior enough that I would have to move away from where I was hiding.  Only the humans on the object knew my presence.  I wanted it that way because I really wasn’t supposed to be there.  I didn’t know what to do, except keep hiding so that I wouldn’t face the anger of the crewmembers.  Sphere was safely stowed in position on the underside of the object.  From that place, there was little that Sphere could do to protect me should the need arise.  I wasn’t having as good a time as I had thought I would have.  I had to remain content with indirect communication with Sphere.

The object continued on its intended mission.  The unstable wobbling effect increased proportionally with the actual velocity of the craft.  The faster the object went, the more the wobble became unstable until it was like a giant hand shaking a can with people inside.  It wasn’t a good thing to do.  The velocity of the object was kept to a slow speed so that the wobble effect was very uncomfortable, but not so much that anyone could be injured.  The crew continued trying to solve the problem of the wobble without success.

The time factor of the mission had been estimated to be only a brief half hour for the gathering of the human subjects from the various landing sites.  The landing sites were scattered around the periphery of the continent.  The total distance involved was a considerable factor when the velocity of the object had to be so drastically reduced.  The estimated half hour duration of the mission became stretched into what seemed like hours.

I had no way to tell the time.  When I tried to estimate the time, there was nothing I could use for an indicating factor.  When I asked the adult humans for the time, it was discovered that all watches had mysteriously stopped.  No one could find out what the actual time was and even those who could reasonably estimate time, seemed to be unable to depend on their own estimates.  It was a most curious effect on humans to be kept inside an object for an unknown length of time.  I gave up trying to find out what time it was.

The gathering of human subjects selected for examination went smoothly.  The orderly flow of humans into the interior of the object soon made it uncomfortably crowded.  The humans needed space to stand because of the unstable flight.  There wasn’t anything the highly capable crew of the object could do to affect a steady flight path.  The object simply kept changing it’s direction as quickly as course corrections could be made.  The crewmembers that composed the flight crew of the object were frantically trying to maintain a steady direction.  The overall speed of the object was limited to the manual dexterity of the crewmembers to renew the main course heading.

Everything was going to plan as the Captain had intended with the exception of the object’s speed.  The mission of the mass abduction was still in progress despite the almost crippled nature of the object’s flight capabilities.  A considerable amount of time had to be added to rendezvous appointments.  This was not considered anything more than a slight inconvenience to everyone concerned.

During a rendezvous to pick up humans, an interesting development occurred.  The intention was to direct the human occupants of the car to the most advantageously coinciding rendezvous sites.  The humans were approximately in the right place.  They were not obeying commands to hypnotize deeply enough.  After a few minutes of confusion, the humans left the primary rendezvous site.

The Captain was not able to establish control of the humans.  If the humans were not controlled, their extraction would not take place.  The last thing the Captain wanted was any uncontrolled and possibly dangerous human running around inside his ship.  The hopeful probability of a completely successful mission receded into the distance as the humans left the rendezvous site.  With a view of canceling this rendezvous, the Captain began to explore the possibilities of this unlikely situation.

I had been hiding behind the main transport column in the middle of the object’s control room.  I carefully avoided being seen by any of the object’s crewmembers.  I would either duck behind one of the humans or move around the central transport column of the object.  It wasn’t all that difficult for me to keep my presence concealed from the crewmembers.  All of the humans had been taken aside as soon as they were onboard and told about my presence as a stowaway.  None of the humans objected to my unusual circumstance and helped me whenever they could.

Sphere informed me that a couple in a car had altered their place and time of rendezvous according to the currently updated instructions given by the Captain of the Object.  I asked to review the commands used on the humans in the car.  For the present, simply mark the humans for future memory alterations in the previously established manner.  As it turned out, the delay commands were not specifically controlling enough.

I asked Sphere about correcting the command sequence to affect the humans in a more controlled fashion.  Sphere began accessing the necessary information contained on several different priority classification levels.  The process of finding, reviewing and altering the commands given to the couple in the car was slow and difficult.   It was mostly by trial and error that a solution to the control problem was evolved.

The humans began to drive away from the primary abduction site.  It was considered expedient to alter the position of the primary rendezvous site to a position further along the travel route of the escaping humans.  The Captain began the process of gaining authorization for the alteration in the plan of the mission.  After some explanations, the Captain was able to alter his mission to accommodate the reluctant humans.

The Captain began to formulate a plan to alter the primary rendezvous site.  Since the exact location of the primary site couldn’t be determined, the Captain started to work with distance probabilities and the unruly capabilities of his object.  The Captain was not happy to deal with so many questionable factors in the determination of anything to do with the course of this priority mission.  The control room became a hive of activity that wasn’t accomplishing very much.

I asked Sphere if there was anything that could be done to help the situation.  Sphere noted that marking the car would be a good thing to do.  I said “brilliant,” which Sphere took as both authorized priority to proceed and manner in which to perform the marking process.  Then I lost contact with Sphere for a few minutes.

Sphere regained a private and secure communication link to me as I stood hiding behind the central transport column.  I had happened to look at the control screen on the left side of the busy control room.  A bright flash of light caught my attention as Sphere linked to me.  A flood of information, questions and possibilities flashed into my mind.  As quickly as I could, I did my best to solve problems and create solutions to the dilemmas of the situation.

Sphere had established a contact with the subject humans and the vehicle had been marked for easy identification. In a few moments, the various methods of human control had been tried unsuccessfully upon the driver of the car.  Sphere determined that nothing further could be done at this point.

About this time, the Captain came up with plan to survey the next primary rendezvous site.  The survey would be based upon the information gathering resources of Sphere.  Sphere went off in fast mode to accomplish the priority task.  Another delay while Sphere evolved predictability patterns to fit the situation.  Map topography, velocity of the object and vehicle, defense radar networks, and opportunity were the factors in the equations.

A few minutes later, Sphere informed me that the vehicle was back in close proximity.  The normal hypnotic methods didn’t do enough to control the actions of the driver.  I asked what the driver was thinking about.  Sphere found that the human was afraid of the retained mental image of the Captain in the object. I told Sphere to impose a picture of my face beside the Captain in the memory string.  An editing process defined the image I wanted to be portrayed beside the Captain’s own image as retained in the human’s memory strings.  Using my authority and appearance as my validation, remove the fear associations from those memory strings.  Then the fear associations could be attached to the full moon.

When the fear couldn’t be associated to the sight of the full moon, I paused.  I asked what else is there in memory to be afraid of.  Sphere found memory strings containing the root fear caused by a difference in eyes.  Eyes were a key recognition factor used by humans as part of the ‘fight or flight’ reaction.   The human was presently in full flight.  The other human was simply a passenger in a passive state.

I tried another approach to controlling the unwilling human.  I asked Sphere to cause all the fear generated during the failed rendezvous be associated with the moon.  When the powerful fear association couldn’t be attached to the full moon, then direct it all to an imaginary cat. When the fear was attached to the cat, remove that cat and take all the fear with it.

Sphere considered the process while I searched my thoughts for an image of a cat.  The only one that came to mind was the one I recently saw in an old story of ‘Alice in Wonderland’.  Sphere took the image as I supplied it and applied it in the manner that I had dictated.  Surprisingly, the process worked well enough for the human to be amused.  The Cheshire cat grinned as it took away all of the fear motivating the flight of the human.

I considered the situation while I reviewed all of the humans’ preparations for the rendezvous.  Simultaneously, I had Sphere make the human do the same kind of review.  At the same moments of thought about the sequence of events, Sphere replaced the failed hypnotic preparations with the altered commands and their attendant memories.  Successful control of the human was quickly verified.  The human altered velocity onto a circuitous route to the original primary rendezvous.

The Captain was informed of the status of the target humans and of the new route of passage.  That accomplished, the Captain immediately became concerned about the passage of time.  All this simple foolery had taken too long.  The object was still unstable in flight.  It was dangerous to set a course between the ceiling of radar detection and the forests of the mountainous topography. It was the Captain’s nightmare to endure this endless situation.  All this was just to gather some stinky and unruly humans.  The Gods of Chance were laughing at him.

The Captain decided the return of the humans to the rendezvous site would take too long to please him.  Another possible site was selected and duly authorized.  Sphere was sent out again to mark the vehicle for identification and to control the humans.  I listened to the Captain’s communications with Sphere.  I smirked and said to mark the vehicle again just for good luck.  Brilliant mark numbers five and six appeared on the vehicle.

The object moved perilously close the secondary rendezvous site, hovering in a delicate balance of instability.  The vehicle with the subject humans approached on the winding road without slowing down.  Sphere informed me that the authorized secondary rendezvous had not been implanted in the subject humans.  The vehicle simply drove by.  The Captain spluttered, the object wobbled and a flurry of commands reset the hive of activity.

The plan was re-altered to another rendezvous site.  The vehicle was marked again and the humans were contacted again by Sphere.  The previous commands were erased from pertinent memory strings.  The original hypnotic commands were replaced for the third time by the refreshed and re-altered series of commands.  The memories of sighting the unstable object as it hovered near the rural road were tagged for future alteration and not altered.  The order of events had to be altered to insert the new commands in place of the old ones without mental conflict.

Once again the Cheshire cat grinned as it was used to establish an active memory chain long enough for Sphere to use as an aerial of direct mental communication.  The human subject was highly resistant to normal hypnotic control.  Once again things settled down while waiting for the object to converge upon the moving vehicle.

For the third time, the vehicle approached the rendezvous site as the object hovered nearby.  This time, Sphere was following the vehicle to maintain monitoring of the human subjects.  At the critical moment when the human should have slowed the velocity of the vehicle, control was lost.  Desperately I asked if Sphere could project images in front of the vehicle.  I said the driver might possibly run over someone standing in the middle of the road in an attempt to escape.  A group of more people would make the human pause long enough to stop the vehicle.  Better that a bright red light like the lanterns used by trains’ crews would make the group more visible and also queue the human to reaction.

At that moment, six barely distinguishable humanoid forms appeared in the middle of the road, one holding a swinging red lantern.  The ploy worked well enough that the vehicle stopped.  The confused mental state of the humans made it easy for Sphere to gain full control of their mental processes.  I controlled the commands given by Sphere to the subject humans.  I grasped my own arm to indicate to Sphere the intensity of the touch that the humans would feel when grasped by the holographic aliens.

The group of six humanoids gathered around the vehicle and helped the humans out.  Obediently, the humans complied, walking slowly away from their vehicle towards the three real crewmembers on the ground.  The vehicle was freshly marked again so that it could be easily found later.

The two humans and the three crewmembers boarded the object without any further trouble.  The three crewmembers resumed their control positions while the two humans joined the others at the rear of the control room. The Captain sighed, as the mission got under way again.

Finally, all the people intended to be picked up, were on board the object.  The next part of the mission was to rendezvous in dark space with a very large spaceship.  Slowly, the object made its way out into the darkness.  The crewmembers of the object allowed the humans to see the Earth as it receded into the distance. Two control panel screens, one on each side of the object, were both activated and programmed to show actual views of Earth.

Everyone took turns to look into a control panel screen that was oriented to show an actual view of the Earth. Even I sneaked a peek at the dim, blue and white colored object representing our home planet.  I looked intently at the screen showing the Earth for a moment too long.

One of the crewmembers happened to spot me as I leaned around the circular column in the middle of the interior of the object. I started to return to my hiding place when I noticed the Cyborg crewmember staring directly at me.  I looked at him as he stared back at me.  He didn’t react to my presence. I then realized he was one of the altered humans used as an assistant to help control the object.  The Cyborg crewmember continued to stare after me for a long moment before returning his attention back to the control panel and screen at his position.  I then realized he had considered telling the others about me but for some reason of his own, he had not betrayed me.

Curious, I asked Sphere about the Cyborg crewmember who did not betray my presence.  Sphere accessed the craft’s main computer to investigate the matter.  In a short moment, Sphere gave me a summary of the Cyborg crewmember.  I asked how and where did the human originate, when did he become altered into the Cyborg form.  Sphere couldn’t find all of the answers to my questions, so initiated communication links to the Cyborg in question.

The Cyborg was surprised that I could communicate my thoughts to his thoughts directly.  I explained that I had help.  The Cyborg asked if others could hear our conversation.  I didn’t know, so I asked Sphere to make sure our conversation was private.  A few minutes were all that was necessary to complete my fully private conversation with the Cyborg.

My conversation with the Cyborg was not a direct verbal link, although I was standing not more than four feet away.  Sphere had to access the object’s main computer directly.  Samples of the Cyborg’s mental frequencies were isolated within the main data flow of the computational structures.  A corresponding match of mental frequency output had to be found among the crewmembers who were accessing the main computational structures.  After Sphere found the Cyborg’s patterns, it was a simple matter to alter the mental frequency patterns to a safe and private frequency.

Sphere didn’t have as easy of a time communicating with me.  I wasn’t in direct access to the main computer systems.  I had to keep moving around to avoid detection by the other crewmembers.   Sphere solved the problem by creating an indirect link to me via the readout screen of the Cyborg’s control position.  Invisible light beams from the readout screen linked Sphere’s access path to my mind.  I could read the thoughts of the Cyborg as clearly as I could visualize my own thoughts.

I asked the Cyborg if past memories were available.  The Cyborg thought of a series of memories.  Sphere translated and communicated them to me.  Literally, the Cyborg’s thoughts were reproduced in my mind as accurately as if I had experienced the original thoughts.  What the Cyborg could remember of the past became my experience.

It took a moment for me to orient myself with the Cyborg’s own past memories.  I stood still while I experienced the memories of the Cyborg who continued functioning at the control position.

Briefly, the Cyborg had grown up in the United States.  The life of the Cyborg was altered by the events of the war against Germany.  The Cyborg had been the captain of a B-25 bomber stationed in a rural area of England.  I accessed memory strings and experienced them as if they were my own memories.

The B-25 bomber sat squat in the darkness of the premorning light.  The dark hulk of Blue Bel 5, the lead bomber of its group, rested in its waiting position.  It was the first of a line of similar bombers.  Across the airfield’s runway apron, ranked short lines of smaller shapes draped in camouflage netting concealing the sleek fighter planes of the XXY squadron.  The squadron groups of bombers were lined up in rows along the aprons of the runway.

Most of the bombers were still being repaired under great nets of camouflage and drab army tarpaulins.  Little specks of light showed where the work on the fleet of bombers was hastily being carried out.  The exhausted maintenance crews and the sleepy, fresh armaments teams bustled silently about their duties, making checks and rechecks of the progress of the massive team effort required of them to ready the squadron for another day of the bloody war.  No one had wanted the stupid waste of war.  But, it would be a damn cold day when the spirit of the free world would think of giving up to any enemy without a respectable fight.

The main priority of the bomber squadron missions was to attack enemy shipping and antisubmarine warfare in the North Sea off the coasts of Norway.  As a second priority of such missions, the bomber squadron was assigned to assist any friendly aircraft returning from attack raids on Norway’s German occupied and controlled coastlines.  There were secondary targets selected along the coast of Holland where any remaining bombs could be dropped.  Simple words of command said nothing of the hell waiting somewhere out on the bone numbingly long flights.

The crew of the Blue Bel 5 was very good at what they did.  Even though they were prone to be still fuzzy faced, immature young adults who would seem more likely to have been found working odd jobs such as gas jockeys and soda jerks back home, the crew of the Blue Bel 5 were blooded veterans of many campaigns against the enemy.  How cruelly the effects of the war had left its marks upon the faces of the young men.  How cruelly the innocence of the young men had been forsaken in the name of war.  Young innocence replaced by a cold sardonic bloodlust in the heights and boundless beauty of the skies at war.

Right after the noon lunch break, the maintenance and armament crews started their methodical routines of preparing the bombers for action.  The maintenance crews checked all the fluid levels, coolants, fire extinguisher equipment, and oxygen bottles, made certain the bombers were airworthy and operational for combat.  The armament crews loaded cases of ammo into the various places where there were machine guns, hung bombs in their racks from long trains of bomb carts, and otherwise helped to ready the bombers for their missions of destruction.

The day of war officially began as the great orb of the sun rose slowly over the lowlands around the tarmac airfield.  The flight crews of the bombers and fighters jeeped or walked out to their respective aircraft in groups and some lazily following more slowly than the others.  They loosely strapped themselves into their yellow maewests and bulky parachutes before they disappeared into hatchways and cockpits.  The support teams who were to remain behind, hurried to help the flight crews with the myriad of little things that had to be done before the B-25 bombers were ready to take off on their missions.

One by one, the bombers would start their engines and begin to taxi to the end of the runway.  Without hesitation, the heavily laden planes would rev up their engines and roar off into the morning sky.  One circle of the airfield was all that was needed for all the bombers to lift off and form up into groups and wing formations before heading off in the direction of the enemy.  And so, would the first mission of the day usually begin.  If the good weather held, the turn-arounds were not too long, and if there were not much damage done to the planes, then as many missions as could be possible would be attempted.

About three thirty in the afternoon of 19 August 1942, the missions officially began again.  Captain Zachary Halls was the pilot of a B-25 fighter-bomber stationed out of XXY airfield near Chadwick, England.  Captain Halls noted there was one of his crew on the sick parade list as he made up the bomber’s duty roster.  As quickly as possible with the familiarity of so many missions of experience, the crew of the Blue Bel 5 went through their routine preflight checks and took up their positions within the bomber.

The routines of the preflight were completed before the great engines of the bomber were fired up.  The gasping and coughing of the cold engines belied their true strength and dependability.  The bursts of flames, belching smoke, and rough roar of the first bomber, was taken up by the others until a cacophony of incredible volume resounded across the airfield.  Almost symphonically, the higher pitched engines of the fighters parked on an adjacent tarmac apron bestirred themselves to take part in the great orchestra of power.

The B-25′s lumbered heavily onto the small runway in single file.  The bombers didn’t even pause as they began to launch themselves on straining engines.  The roar and the smell of kerosene filled the air as the metal birds sought to mimic flight.  The line of bombers bounced and wobbled ungainly along the airfield and lifted ungracefully into group formations.  The Spitfire fighters jounced roughly down the small runway and flitted up into their own formations above and behind the quickly disappearing bomber formations.

Once airborne, things settled down for the bomber crews.  The ungainly bombers may have been awkward on land, but once in the element for which they were designed, they became the stable air platforms ready to unleash terrible death and destruction upon the enemy.  The crew of the Blue Bel 5 relaxed as they could, as did the other crews, more like friends chatting and telling stories on the intercom really than the cool experienced veterans off to another sortie with the enemy.  It was a simple matter to enjoy the ride in the heated flight suits and while away the boring hours until the intense work of staying alive had to be done.

The weather was reasonable, broken clouds to the west of the flight line.  There were no clouds near the bombers until the flight was near Norway.  The amicable chatter of the crews ceased and everyone became alertly battle ready.  The restless search of the skies above and the dark sea below became much more intense as the flight neared its intended patrol area.

The primary mission priority was to attack shipping.  The flight found and attacked a ship.  A small freighter flying German Navy flags was strafed and bombed in a single pass. A few puffs of antiaircraft fire were all that was managed in defense of the freighter.   The ship’s crew managed to lower two white lifeboats and escape the burning freighter.  The fires on board the ship caused smoke to rise several hundred feet into the clear air.  With finality, the freighter sank slowly just off the coast of Norway.

The clouds moved in so the flight moved to an altitude above twenty thousand feet. It was better to patrol above the clouds and watch for other flights returning from their missions.  More than a few times the flight had chased off or shot down enemy planes attacking slow, damaged craft returning from their missions over the enemy’s territory.  The assigned patrol area was a safety net for those lucky enough to have made it out of enemy territory.

At about five-thirty in the afternoon, there was a break in the clouds.  The flight of bombers dropped down to a much lower altitude and continued to patrol the assigned area of cold, blue ocean.  The flight spread out until each was a barely visible speck in the distance.  At times like this, it was crucial for the radios to keep the flight in controlled formation as the course changes were made to zig zag in a search pattern.  It would not be good for the bombers to be come separated out over the ocean.  Such strays could easily be attacked or become disoriented enough to get lost.  Every flight crew feared the prospect of ditching at sea where the chances of survival were slim at best.

One of the bombers reported a ship in the distance on the horizon.  Hastily, the flight climbed in altitude and gathered into a close formation.  The flight, composed of six bombers, began to attack the large ship on the surface.  Two bombers were lost to heavy flack and others were shot up pretty badly.  The second go managed to hit the ship twice.  The third run resulted in a terrific explosion on board the heavily armed vessel.  Luckily, one of the bombs had managed to set off an ammunitions magazine that caused the ship to blow up.  The ship sank immediately after.  There were no survivors to be seen in the icy cold, dark ocean.

By now, two bombers had been lost to enemy fire, two members of the crews in the other bombers had been killed and one casualty onboard the Blue Bel 5.  The Blue Bel 5 was tough to fly because of battle damage, so it limped after the others.  There were holes shot in the tail and wings.  The starboard waist gun position was abandoned and the gunner lay in a coma on the floor.  The gunner had been wounded in the stomach and there was little hope that he could survive long enough to make the trip home.  Blood drained profusely from the wounded crewman to make the catwalks of the waist gun stations treacherously slippery.  The port machinegun was abandoned as the gunner vainly helped his friend by trying to stuff the gaping shrapnel holes with whatever material was available.  He cried and swore as he set about the grim task.

The sweeps of the ocean were clean and routine.  Several flights of planes had been spotted returning from their missions over Norway.  There was nothing radioed to the flight of B-25′s about stragglers or enemy pursuit planes.  The flight remained on station until about six o’clock.  Then, the flight started for the secondary targets located along the coast of Holland.   It wasn’t long before the other bombers were out of sight somewhere ahead.

The other bombers had left contrails in the air so they were easy to follow.  The cockpit instrumentation and the critical navigation equipment had been completely destroyed and following the contrails was the only way to tell which direction to fly.  The other bombers continued their sweeps and made long zigzags across the expanse of the North Sea to eventually make for the secondary targets in Holland.

At about six forty-eight in the afternoon, a large white saucer passed closely over the Blue Bel 5.  It was moving at a tremendous speed.  It caught the Blue Bel 5 in its grip as it passed near the bomber, spun it into the new direction of flight and took it along at high speed.  The saucer remained overhead as it accelerated and gained altitude.  The bomber was facing the direction of travel but it was not the one originally flown by the bomber.  The top turret gunner of the Blue Bel 5 panicked and opened fire at the overhead saucer.

Captain Halls began shouting commands into the bomber’s intercom.  The intercom links became full of static.  Down the length of the bomber, yelling and screaming echoed while somewhere in the din of background noise, heavy rattle of twin fifty caliber machineguns of the top machinegun turret pounded away at the underside of the bright saucer.  The top turret gunner was screaming oaths and crying as he realized his heavy strafing of the saucer’s underside caused no effect.  The interior of the bomber quickly filled with the smoke from the twin machineguns as belts of ammunition were expended uselessly.

Captain Halls kept yelling “Cease fire!” over the intercom until the top gun turret position exhausted its supply of fifty-caliber ammunition.  The gunner continued to click his empty machineguns at the underside of the saucer as he screamed gibberishly.  The best efforts of the navigator were not enough to subdue the wild gunner.  Finally, the copilot went to help the navigator grapple with the terrified crewman.  Together, they managed to pull him away from the top turret and calmed him down.  Some semblance of order and sanity returned slowly to the crew of the Blue Bel 5.

Captain Halls tried to control the flight of the B-25 bomber.  The aileron and flap controls of the bomber were hard to move as if there were great amounts of air rapidly moving over the wings. No effect of the full application of the aileron or rudder controls could be noticed.  The two great engines of the B-25 bomber were throttled up to full power for a few minutes before idling them back to see if anything could be done to escape.  The B-25 bomber held its same position about thirty feet beneath the accelerating white saucer.  The saucer continued on its way as nothing was wrong.  The B-25 bomber followed along with the tremendously accelerating white saucer.

Captain Halls and his copilot argued for several minutes about what to do next.  The saucer was oblivious to the plight of both the crew and the B-25 bomber as long moments clicked away. Finally it was decided to shut down and feather the engines.  At least the fuel could be saved in case it would be needed later.  After the main shutdown checklist had been completed, Captain Halls set the copilot, navigator and subdued gunner to inspecting the interior of the bomber for damage reports and supply lists.  Repairs were begun on what little the crew could attempt with the on board tools and replacement parts.

Shutdown of the bomber’s engines meant that there would only be battery power available to restart the engines if there was such an opportunity.  All electrical systems were turned off except the little trickle of electricity needed to keep the bomber’s radio and intercom working.  Stubbornly, the radio operator kept trying to raise an answer to the frantic mayday he was broadcasting on the main radio transmitter.  Most of continental Europe had been within range of the radio.  Now, only static could be heard answering on the radio headsets.

The original flight line of the bomber had been left far behind in the few minutes that had already passed.  The sea below became blurred when it could be sighted between the fleeing cloud masses.  Nothing definite could be seen to use as an aid to guess where the B-25 bomber could be going

There was no hope of being able to estimate exactly what direction the saucer and the captive bomber were taking or how far the real distance was that had been traveled in those few minutes.  The navigator reported that there was no way to estimate where they were without the navigational instrumentation that had been badly shot up during the last bombing run on the heavily armed German Naval ship.  The navigator was almost crying when he made his report to the captain.

The altitude increased enough for the crew to go to oxygen and wait in fear.  The tail gunner moved from his position to help the port side gunner tend to the severely wounded starboard gunner.  As the altitude increased, so did the amount of bleeding from the open wounds of the comatose gunner.  The two gunners vainly tried to stanch the flow of vital red fluid with strips of gauze and the military emergency kit supplies of cotton shell packs.  A needle and black thread were found and passed back to the waist of the bomber.  The two gunners took turns at trying to sew closed some of the more terrible wounds.  The cold froze their fingers quickly even though their electrically warmed flight suits were turned up to the maximum. Shivering in the thinning cold air, the two crewmen huddled down under fire blankets over their wounded comrade as they tried to keep him warm and alive.

The sky grew darker blue as the world was left behind. Very quickly, the horizon of the Earth could be seen and the continents of Europe, Greenland and North America could be distinguished.  The saucer headed for the Moon with the B-25 bomber in tow.  There was no feeling of curving upwards towards space.  Just the continuous pull of acceleration in the same straight line and the increasing effects of high altitude indicated to the crew of the B-25 bomber that there was some sort of movement occurring.  The badly wounded gunner had died in the coma.  His blood floated in gory bubbles everywhere inside the interior of the bomber to make a terrible mess.

After six minutes into the darkness of space, the crew of the saucer saw the bomber following it.  They were shocked to see that the crew of the bomber still survived.  The two crews began wildly gesturing to each other until it was established that the crew of the B-25 bomber would be rescued from their peril.  A thick cable of some sort snaked out from the side of the saucer to connect the two crafts.  Following the cable, a white tube about three feet in diameter soon attached itself to the fuselage of the bomber.

A crewmember from the saucer crawled along the flexible white tube to the fuselage.  In moments, a large ragged hole was cut through the metal of the fuselage. The alien held laser gun was more than adequate for the job.  As soon as the opening into the bomber was cut, the alien began to return to his saucer.

The crew of the bomber hurried to the newly cut escape hatch.  Frantically, the last of the precious oxygen bottles were drained into the flexing and stretching white tube.  There was some air inside the flexible escape tube although it was not enough to give a good breath of oxygen.  It would be necessary to hold breath for as long as possible inside that makeshift escape tube.

The crew prepared themselves by taking a large breath of air and holding their noses for as long as possible during the passage to safety.  One by one, the crewmembers crawled, swam and floated through the gaping round hole in the fuselage into the white tube to the saucer.  As quickly as possible the crew made the long distance through the flexible white tube to the interior of the saucer.  All told, the crew of the bomber had been dependent upon oxygen supplies of the bomber for about twenty minutes.

The crew of the B-25 bomber soon stood grouped, facing off against the short crewmembers of the saucer.  A rather unceremonious disarming of the bomber crew ensued.  Only then did there appear to be any concern of the saucer crewmembers to learn what had caused the bomber to follow the saucer.  The Captain of the saucer questioned the Captain of the bomber until as much that could be learned by both had been discussed.  When it came to the decision concerning the disposition of the derelict bomber, Captain Halls insisted that it be kept somewhere safe.

The saucer Captain agreed to try to keep the B-25 bomber in a safe place and hoped to do as well for the crew.  Some specific arrangements were made and the preparations to move the bomber were completed. A large port in the side of the saucer opened up and the saucer moved to gulp in the whole bomber.  The great port closed and air was forced into the area where the bomber rested.

The crew was allowed to see their flack blackened and battle damaged bomber for a brief time in the interior of the saucer.  The men held hands and bowed their heads while a short prayer was said.  The dead gunner was left on board the bomber.  It was somehow fitting that the B-25 bomber was now his final resting place.  Slowly, quietly, the crew of the B-25 bomber was lead away to another area of the saucer.

The alien Captain of the saucer renewed his questioning of the B-25 bomber crew.  After a few minutes of the intense session, one of the crew of the saucer approached and interrupted the saucer Captain’s interrogations.  Something brief was related and the saucer Captain immediately left the area where the bomber crew was being detained.  The few alien guards became intensely worried and began waving their weapons around.  Captain Halls began shouting at his crew to prevent them from attacking the alien guards.  It was very close to a bad situation.  The saucer Captain returned to find the captured humans barely under control.

The saucer Captain announced that the saucer was changing its mission to land at a secret base on the dark side of the Moon.  It was necessary to land at the lunar base to make certain repairs to the saucer.  The top turret gunner began to snicker, then cry.  The saucer Captain made another statement to the effect that he expected the human bomber crew to behave rationally during their rescue.  At that, the saucer Captain and the armed alien guards left the white room.  The bomber crew was left alone for about fifteen minutes.

One of the aliens reentered the white room and motioned for the bomber crew to follow.  Quietly and quickly, they were led to another room within the saucer.  This room was round, dimly lit and full of control areas and view screens.  Four aliens assisted the flight operations as ordered by the Captain of the saucer.  The crew of the B-25 bomber watched as the crew of the saucer silently controlled the descent through the rare atmosphere of the Moon.

Captain Halls walked over to the saucer Captain and asked if the B-25 bomber could be landed safely on the surface below.  The saucer captain agreed that such was possible.  Soon, the large white saucer was hovering in darkness over the center of a rather large crater.  The saucer turned on brilliant floodlights to reveal powdery gray moonscape. Moments later, the opening in the side of the saucer reappeared.  The dark bulk of the B-25 bomber was seen to slip out from the saucer.  Long minutes passed as the bomber was seen to glide down from the saucer to the surface of the Moon.  In a great cloud of dust, the bomber hit solid surface, bounced and hit again.  On the third bounce, the bomber slid to a stop as the great cloud of gray dust engulfed it.

The fate of the B-25 bomber was that it was dropped onto the surface of the moon near the center of a large crater.  The tall walls of the crater would hide the B-25 bomber from all but an overhead view.  The dead crewman still lay on the floor near his waist machinegun position.  There has not been a thing done to it since.

The crew of the bomber were taken prisoner officially at the lunar base and questioned at length.  The crewmen were later subjected to extensive medical examinations and experimental procedures to prepare them for being frozen alive.  Much later, one by one the frozen crewmen were thawed back to life and medically prepared for the processes that effectively turned them into Cyborg beings.

The first Cyborg to be created from the crew of the B-25 was, of course, the top turret gunner.  That form of Cyborg lasted for about six months before succumbing to internal degenerations.  As time went on, more improvements were made for the Cyborg forms until the current, but last of the original crew of the ill-fated B-25 bomber designated as Blue Bel 5, would be expected to survive for an indefinite period.

This is an unofficial report by Captain Halls as related to an unidentified human passenger on a small alien saucer.  Captain Halls verified some of the events in such a way that certain assumptions were necessary.  Although some inaccuracies may be contained, it is believed that the sum total of Captain Halls’ report has been reproduced as intended.  May Captain Halls learn of this report as entered on his behalf, and may Captain Halls continue to serve as a flight member of whatever crew.

During the few minutes it took to communicate with the Cyborg, I stood as still as the wobbling saucer would allow.  My curiosity about the Cyborg’s experience left me with more questions. I followed a few of the Cyborg’s memory strings and answered most of my own questions.  My link of communication was ended when one of the humans hiding me from view of the busy crewmembers, walked between the Cyborg’s readout screen and my position.  Quickly, I asked the interposing human to move in such a way that I could be hidden from the crewmembers while I watched the readout screen.  The word was passed along and I was able to get a few more minutes worth of time communicating with the Cyborg.  By this time, I had learned all there was to know about Cyborgs.

I asked Sphere if the same communications link could be established with any of the humans.  Sphere modified the indirect communication link to give me access to the nearest human.  In the same way that I experienced the Cyborg’s memories, I directly experienced the memories of the human.  I had instantly complete access to any memories and all thoughts contained within the mind of the human in question.

I found that particular person difficult to communicate with.  Many structural mental conflicts and poor memories made it very confusing to me.  I asked Sphere to help me edit and set right those minds I accessed.  A few minutes with each person was all that I wanted or needed to find all I wanted to know.  A line of humans formed, each waiting to step back for their turn with me.  The line of humans effectively hid the communication process, both the human subject and myself from the view of the crewmembers.  Quickly, I went through the line of humans.  I was pleased with myself, and my efforts.

After I had finished my fun of communicating with and optimizing all of the humans, I began to move around.  The wobbling of the malfunctioning saucer grew worse.  I was tired of standing in one place for so long that I simply had to walk around.  Still, I kept hidden from the crewmembers.

The object was a long away from the rendezvous with the large Mothership.  The estimated time of the rendezvous according to the agenda of the mission was only seventeen minutes after the object was to have left Earth’s atmosphere.  The slowness of the object altered the estimated rendezvous to a new time several hours later.  I don’t think it meant anything to the humans on board the object, but it did concern everyone else directly involved with the mission.

The Captain of the object was furious that his mission had been put in jeopardy.  The Captain was furious that his object had a malfunction that could not be ascertained nor remedied.  The alien mission control authority was informed of the problem.  Advice to try to solve the problem was communicated to the computers of the object to no avail.  The crew kept working hard at their controls to keep some semblance of stability while maintaining a velocity that bumped the object along.  The people in the interior of the object had a hard time of it to withstand the unusual abuse.

At some point, the Captain began to review the instructions given to the computer of the object prior to the escape from Earth’s atmosphere.  One by one, the instructions were carefully repeated until there was a minor discrepancy in wording discovered.  The instructions were repeated but the expected balance of the object was not altered.  The captain asked the object’s computer for the reason of the failure to balance the object.  The object’s computer indicated that the estimated total mass of the object varied significantly from the actual total mass of the object.  The captain of the object asked the object’s computer to identify the source of the discrepancy.  The object’s computer indicated that the uncomputed mass of the extra human subject on board the object caused the unstable balance as was now being experienced.

When I heard that, I realized my movements had directly effected the direction of the object’s velocity.  I was moving around quite a bit so that I wouldn’t be seen and because I was so bored with sitting or standing in one place for any length of time.  Then, I realized that the motions of the object were indeed subject to my movements as I tried to hide better.  The object wobbled as I moved around the circular column to avoid the crewmembers that had begun a head count of the humans in an effort to look for me.  I was looking behind me as I went to the left of the circular column.  I walked smack into someone who grabbed tightly onto me.

One of the crewmembers had caught me.  At the same moment, alarm bells and gongs and bright flashing lights turned the interior of the object into a mass of utter confusion.  The crewmember instantly let go of me and I stepped back from him.  The pandemonium instantly ceased.  The startled crewmember grabbed me again.  The loud bells, gongs and flashing lights went off again.  The crewmember dropped me like a hot potato and instantly everything returned to normal.  He looked at me, not understanding how a small human could do that.

I knew Sphere was still watching over me, so I just stood there looking defiantly back at him.  He screeched something and immediately there was the Captain of the object standing beside him.  The crewmember spoke rapidly to the Captain of the object in a strange language.  All that time, the Captain glared dangerously at me.  At the end of the crewmember’s explanation, the Captain of the object commanded my speech to be translated into his language.  The Captain of the object was immediately informed that the translation could not be completed as requested.  The main computer of the object informed the Captain that priority would require his words to be translated into my language. Angered, the Captain set about giving me a strong lecture.  I continued to stand defiantly before him, not saying a word while the translations into English were made.

The Captain of the object realized that his menacing manner and lecture did nothing to intimidate me.  I stomped my foot on the floor of the control room.  It wasn’t a hard stomp.  It was enough force to upset the static balance of the object. The object bumped, and began to stray off course.  The Captain went to reach for me and I tapped my foot on the floor again.  This time the object bumped, began to wobble and veered off course.  One of the crewmembers shouted something.  The Captain looked over his shoulder to the front of the control room, then back at me.  Quietly, he asked me to behave myself, or I would be ordered to be tied up.  I said I would be nice if he would be nice.

The Captain of the object turned around and hurried back to his control panel position.  A few minutes later, the wobble of the object ceased.  The required high velocity of the object was not achieved.  The mission proceeded without further incident.  The humans had stood frozen and staring at me from the moment of my discovery.  They didn’t know what would happen next.  When it was clearly evident that no harm would come to me, they began to talk to each other.  Everyone began to wander around as they talked.  Boredom was the excuse for discovering as much as they could about each other.  I drifted back to the control position on the left side where I could communicate with Sphere again.  Every so often the Captain would stare over in my direction before resuming his duties.

The Captain of the object noticed my concentrated staring at the display screen of the Cyborg’s control position.  I was so intent upon the display screen that I would almost unconsciously move or push at humans who had unwittingly blocked my view.  I was so intent upon the display screen that I didn’t notice who loomed up in front of me to block my view.  I whispered something about moving out of my view and pushed firmly on the side of the person who so effectively cut my communication link with Sphere.

The reaction of the person in front of me was not one I had expected.  I heard a loud screech in my ears, as I was lifted up off the floor by my offending arm.  I had made the erroneous mistake of trying to push the Captain of the object.   At the same moment that my face came to rest at the same level of the angry Captain’s, our eyes locked in our own personal rages.  I was angry at the disruption of my communication with Sphere.  The Captain was angry because of interference with the Cyborg’s data handling capabilities.

I dangled in front of the angry Captain for brief moments.  I took a deep breath to start my verbal exchange.  Instead of words coming out of my mouth, a terrific din of bells, deep gongs and whistles sounded.  Red lights flashed glaringly throughout the interior of the object.  Startled, the Captain let go of me.  I drifted towards the floor and touched before I realized my mouth was still open.  I closed my mouth whereupon the resounding din ceased.

The Captain shrank back from me in utter disbelief. For a moment, he was confused and frightened.  Gathering his inner resources, he stretched his hand toward me.  I opened my mouth.  The bells, gongs and whistles blared into full volume function while the interior lighting flashed brilliant red.  The Captain jerked back his hand.  I reactively closed my mouth.  The din of noise and lights immediately ceased.  For about a minute, the Captain and I stood facing off squarely against each other.

With controlled deliberation, the Captain of the object began speaking to me.  In non-conflicting tones, the computer of the object began translation.  “You do this, don’t you?  How?  I don’t understand how you can do this.  I wasn’t sure at first that you were the one doing this, but I know now that you are more than you seem.  You must not do this.  You are stopping the Cyborg from important data control.  The Cyborg is only producing eighty-five per cent accuracy in his data flow from a viewing screen that shows only forty per cent of what it is supposed to.  We depend upon the Cyborg for computations that aren’t being done.  Cease interference with the Cyborg, now.”

In silence, I conferred with Sphere.  Sphere found a quick solution to the problem by relocating the Cyborg to another control position.  Sphere and I pursued some other options and possibilities while the object’s computer was still in the process of translating the Captain’s speech.  As soon as I heard the last of the Captain’s words, I began my reply.  “Yes, I do that and more.  I can end this mission now if I want.  I won’t interfere with your mission if you don’t interfere with me.  I don’t like being yelled at or threatened.  As for the display screen, I have determined that it needs maintenance.

Presently, it is unsuitable to the needs of the Cyborg’s functions.  Move the Cyborg’s control position to another place if more accuracy in data flow is required.  The Cyborg is performing optimally within its limitations at present.  I will see about conducting maintenance of the control position.

The Captain’s mouth opened soundlessly a few times.  The Cyborg methodically shut down the control position and returned it into its storage configuration.  The Cyborg stood up as soon as the control position had disappeared from view.  The seat that the Cyborg had rested upon for so long slipped quickly, silently from view into the wall beneath main control counter which wrapped around the front half of the control room.  The Cyborg turned and took one pace forward, and stopped.

The Captain suddenly was aware of the large figure facing him.  He turned to face the Cyborg as if to defend himself.  I stopped his thoughts by saying “the Cyborg still obeys.  He is simply following commands to move to another control position.  You are in his way.”  The Captain stepped aside and the Cyborg moved ahead to the new control position assigned for his use.

The Captain followed the Cyborg to the other side of the control room.  I moved over to the vacated control position and went about the business of reactivating the controls.  With Sphere’s help, I was soon completely interfaced with the link to Sphere.  I began accessing all of the information available concerning the object and its crewmembers.  I became immersed in dataflows, oblivious to all that was going on around me.

In the meantime, all the humans were wandering around and around within the confines of the control room.  Most of them were tired enough that sometimes they blundered into each other.  After some time, Sphere informed me that there was a question to me from the Captain.  Did I control the humans too? If so could I prevent them from wandering into each other and more notably into the crewmembers such as himself?  If so, please correct the situation.  Respond quickly.

I was surprised.  I sat up and looked around to verify what I already knew.  I looked back at the display screen and started to alter the temporary programming I had already done on the behavior of the humans.  I defined the area where the humans were to avoid and the crewmembers to keep clear of.  Then I removed previous programming and allowed the humans to interact normally, with a minor suggestion to display a friendly and gregarious attitude.  Most of them immediately slouched down to the floor to rest.  As the humans rested, they talked about many things.

The Captain looked in my direction with a blank stare.  He neither approved nor disproved the results of my control.  I turned my attention back to the realms of information made accessible by Sphere’s capabilities.  I satisfied my curiosity about whatever whim that came to mind.  Everything from insulating factors of the object’s thin walls, to origins and life stories of the crewmembers, became known to me.  I left nothing unexplored by my inquisitive searches of the available databases.  Sphere was my personal guide through the mazes of dataflows and data structures contained within the object.

The humans talked quietly among themselves.  They either rested or walked around in the confines of the control room.  After a time, one of the humans discovered a series of doors in the rear wall of the control room.  The largest of humans were used to screen the exploration of the ‘cupboard’ like storage areas.

One by one, doors were opened and contents were carefully examined.  One storage area held numerous suits and helmets, utility belts and apparatuses of various purposes.  A smaller storage locker held shelves of books and a large collection of maps.  A third storage area held sealed canisters and cases of unknown things.  The items were clearly marked in alien script.  None of the cases or canisters could be opened so they were left alone.  The books and maps were passed around to be touched, and looked at, by all in turns.

The captain of the object had many things to keep his attention at the main control position in the front of the control room.  Long minutes passed by between glances in my direction to make sure I wasn’t causing some kind of trouble.  For some unknown reason, the Captain noticed a peculiar thing.  The same humans were passing by while all of the taller humans were forming a wall at the back of the control room. It was immediately obvious to the Captain that the humans were up to something.

Stinky and troublesome humans were certainly causing him grief on this particular and supposedly routine mission
Once again the Captain left his important control position to deal with the troublesome humans.  With difficulty, he pushed his way between the unyielding humans.  The Captain discovered the open storage lockers and numerous items in the hands of the humans.  Some of the items held by the ingenious humans were of a classified nature.  Canisters of critical star charts had been opened and classified texts of classified were being examined by the humans.

The Captain became very angry at the sight of intrusion by humans into the storage lockers.  He tried unsuccessfully to take away some of the forbidden booty from a few of the humans.  He simply wasn’t big or strong enough to carry out the task on his own.  Finally, he stormed over to me and ordered me to control the humans immediately.  I endured severe verbal abuse that the object’s computer refused to translate in deference to my priority.  I knew what it was all about, anyways.

Soon enough, all returned to normal, the various items restored to their proper places and the humans murmured quietly to each other as they either moved around or rested.  Sullenly, I worked away at my control position, learning about whatever I cared to question.

The Captain of the object went on with his duties and valiantly managed to get the errant object back on its proper course.  The fluttering pitch and yaw of the object still hadn’t been controlled.  A spiral window several miles wide presently defined the normally straight-line course.  It could not be narrowed sufficiently to permit a docking rendezvous with the target Mothership.

An alternate plan was suggested and quickly confirmed.  The object would stop dead in the darkness of space while the Mothership would move into a close proximity.  Then the object would slowly attempt to complete the final docking on its own.  A short time later, the large Mothership approached the stationary object.  With great care, the Captain began to move his errant object towards the Mothership.

The object approached the Mothership now waiting in the darkness of space.  A control screen was altered to show the humans a view of the vast bulk of the Mothership.  Most of the human subjects were not exactly interested in the sight of the brightly lit Mothership.  I watched the control screen as the side of the great Mothership opened a hole large enough for the object to pass through in safety.  The object seemed to bump along on something as it slowed to a halt inside the great dark Mothership.

I could see the object had entered a large hangar like area that had tracks in the floor for a dozen or so objects of the same size as ours.  I knew more of the area as Sphere communicated directly to me without being detected.  I wouldn’t be frightened as long as Sphere was near to protect me.

A stairway opened up in the middle of the floor so that everyone could disembark.  The humans were conducted away from the object to a medium sized door at one end of the hangar like area.  I followed the other humans through the door and down a short hall to a small, furnished waiting room.

Everyone sat down either on the chairs available or on the smooth, white floor. I stood for a short time before I decided to sit on the floor with the others. I was bored sleepy and tired, but I watched what was going on.

One of the attendants told us that we would be examined in an adjoining room.  Medical staff of the Mothership would take readings and specimens from our bodies without causing any of us more than a slight inconvenience.  A tall heavyset old black man was the first to go with one of the people of the Mothership for an examination of sorts.  Two alien attendants at his side, and a third following him bustled off the old man.  Two alien attendants remained to watch over the crowded waiting room.  No one was enthused to be there, but there was nothing else to do either.

The tall, old black man was carried back to the waiting room on a sort of gurney after about an hour.  He was not in any condition to stand upright.  The alien attendants helped him off the gurney to a seat at the far end of the waiting room.  Within a few minutes, the old man had slid off the seat and lay moaning on the floor.  The alien attendants lifted him back onto the gurney and covered him with a sort of warm, tan colored blanket.  The condition of the old man caused a lot of concern in the other humans who were waiting for their turn to be similarly examined.

The concern of the humans quickly escalated into an almost riotous state.  During the confusion, one man in particular felt that it was a mistake for him to be there.  The very tall heavyset man literally bulldozed his way through the attendants and made a good escape down the hallway.  An alarm was sounded as attendants came scurrying to quell the melee of humans and aliens.  Soon order was restored and the alarm bells stopped ringing.  Everyone was still contained in the small waiting room.  Resignedly, everyone waited their turn to be examined.  After about ten minutes, the man who had escaped was led back into the small waiting room.  He fell asleep immediately, but the torn tan jacket and the gauze like patch taped onto a spot just below his left collar bone told a story of their own.

I asked one of the attendants if I could be the next one to be examined.  He seemed to be surprised when I asked to go next, more so when he couldn’t find me as listed on his roster of subjects to be examined.  I suggested he look for small letters because I was a small person.  He laughed and so did some of the humans who were watching me.  It seemed to break the ice between the humans and the aliens for a minute or so.  Finally, it was agreed that I was to be the next to be examined.  Almost gratefully, I followed the attendant out of the waiting room, down a long hall of doors to a room beside the small waiting room.

I entered the room and saw a gurney with white and tan blankets on it.  I was directed to undress completely and lay on the gurney.  I tried to contact Sphere and voice my unwillingness to obey the specific command of undressing.  I waited for a few minutes to try to hear something from Sphere.  There was no answer from my protector.  I felt alone and defenseless.

The attendants kept insisting that I remove my clothes so that they could proceed with my examination.  I could not be wearing clothes because of the nature of the procedures to be used.  I was assured that I would not be harmed and that the procedures were a necessary part of the examination.  There was a hurried insistence that I undress as quickly as possible.

I was too shy to undress completely in front of strangers, so I kept my underclothes on.  There was some objection by the attendants at first, but I managed to persevere by citing my modesty.  I laid down on the gurney and waited for the examination to begin.  After a brief wait, the team of medical staff entered as a group and began to question me about many things.  I answered the questions to the best of my ability, and, a few questions of my own were well answered in English.  Most of the questions and answers came from a speaker mounted somewhere invisibly in the walls or ceiling.  Frequently, the medical staff made comments among themselves in a very fast language of their own as they proceeded with the examination.

The show and tell part of the examination progressed to a surgical exploration.  One of the medical staff pulled a long thin articulated arm from the wall at my feet.  At the same time, a very large lamp with a number of separate lights in it appeared in the ceiling overhead. The light from it was carefully controlled and directed as needed to illuminate whatever particular area of me that was being examined.  I noticed another of the medical staff holding a tray of various probes and such, ready for instant use by my examiners.

I felt a weird tugging at my bellybutton that almost was painful, but not a sharp pain.  I looked down to see that the whole of my middle body had the skin stretched open to expose all that was underneath.  I was shocked they would be doing this to me.  I somehow remained calm enough to ask what did they know about my insides.  One of the examiners looked at me and said that nothing was known specifically about my insides except that specimens would be taken from all the major organs.  I verbally volunteered as much as I knew about the subject of anatomy while using my own organs as the example.  As the examination went on, I began to weaken and feel very sick.

The examination by the alien medical staff was not what could be termed humane in any way.  I endured terrific pain consciously while reciting what I could remember of the subject of the human body.  At some point, the pain became too great.  I stopped my recitation to concentrate on dealing with my pain.  I felt terrible, waves of pain washed through my consciousness.  It was all I could do to keep thinking of rising above the pain levels in my body.  At some point, I passed out.

I remember waking up after a short sleep.  I felt like I was not connected to my body or at least what was supposed to be my body.  I managed to look down towards my feet, but there was something blocking my view.  I focused on the nearness until I realized it was a huge flap of skin held up by long thin rods. Most of the upper half of my body had been stripped of skin that spread out from me as if it was a pink sheet.  There wasn’t as much pain as before, so I could think coherently.

I remembered to speak out about the dissection.  I felt light and quick touches on an organ of my anatomy. I spoke out that there was someone touching my stomach.  I heard a gasp and something unintelligible.  Then the speaker blurted out English to the effect now let’s see if we can put this one back together.  One of the medical staff began to speak to me, asking where it hurt and what was doing the hurting.  I replied as best I could.

The process of dissecting a human is not as complicated as trying to return the human to the same condition as it was before.  I helped as much as possible in the putting of me back together. It was an unusual experience and I gained much insight into the technology of the medical science available to the aliens.  I was certain that every major organ of my body had a small specimen taken from it and stored in clear containers.

I said that since I had been so helpful in teaching anatomy, perhaps it was not as necessary for the others to suffer as I had.  It was agreed that the others would not have to endure anything as invasive as I had.  I was sure that they had been thinking that I had died and they were simply treating me the same as a corpse.  It was shocking to them that I had somehow revived and regained consciousness.

As quickly as possible I was reassembled and healed together.  Some kinds of stitching and extremely good medicines were used in conjunction with beams of bright blue laser light to tack me together and heal me until the stitches could be removed.  I think it was about two hours before my gurney was wheeled back to the waiting room.  I was so sick and feeble that I dared not get up off the gurney.  The attendants left me on the gurney in the hallway beside the small waiting room.  I kept passing out and coming to in great pain.  Waves of pain washed me thoroughly as I regained my strength.

There must have been a rush to get as many specimens as possible in the short time left.  I knew now something of what the old black man had endured.  I had spent at least twice as long in the examination area as had the old black man.  The following humans were rushed through in brief periods of time.

Eventually we were all examined, and the group of humans was led back to the object that had brought us to the Mothership.  Most of us had to be helped by alien attendants to barely walk the short distance to the object.  The old man and I were still on the gurneys, we had to be carried onto the object and laid out on the smooth floor out of the way.  Soon after, the object was sealed for space flight.

The saucer moved slowly across the smooth floor of the hangar floor.  The great iris in the side of the Mothership dilated by rotating into a partially open position large enough to allow the small saucer to pass safely through into the void beyond.  As the great iris opened, atmosphere rushed from the volume of the hangar area in a great noisy rush into the vacuum of the space in which the Mothership reposed.  During the quick decompression of the hangar, a tool of some sort slid clanging and banging along the ramp way on which the small saucer rested.  It became apparent that the small tool could not do damage to the side of the saucer or the metallic ramp ways of the launch area.  The small tool was soon lost to the darkness of space.

The launching of the small saucer proceeded routinely after the scare by the wrench.  The crew of the small saucer allowed a clear view of the launch via two control screens on the right side of the control area.  Only a few of the humans were capable of showing enough interest to watch the clear view of the receding Mothership.  After a few minutes, the screens were altered to other purposes as the crewmembers became concerned with other more important priorities.

The flight of the saucer to Earth’s outer atmospheric shell was supposed to take only seventeen minutes.  The actual time was considerably longer.  The crew prepared the functions of the saucer for atmospheric re-entry and necessary reconfigurations of the saucer for atmospheric flight.  Immediately after the launching, I returned to the flight control position that I had previously occupied.  I sat painfully aware of the intrusions into my abdomen, while I managed to operate the controls and buttons of the computer access control position.

I asked for a forward view of the re-entry phase of the saucer’s return flight.  After some discussion, I was allowed limited external views of the re-entry on the control screen in front of me.  Briefly, a formation of small objects came into view as they raced past our saucer.  The small triangular objects were following tangent trajectories to allow them to skip off the same wisps of atmosphere into which we were initiating our own re-entry.

Two small objects moved much closer to our wobbling saucer.  I was amazed to see clearly the beautifully unusual configurations of the small objects.  I asked what the small objects were.  One of the crewmembers told me that the small objects were the personal space conveyances of the wealthier and more privileged members of the Solar Star System Research Expedition.  I asked if I could get a closer view.  as if in response to my question, the two objects flitted very close to the barely stable proximity of the saucer.  The proximity alarm bells and gongs sounded through out the saucer control room.  The saucer Captain watched the movements of the small objects for a few moments before returning his attentions to the more important priorities of this critical segment in the saucer’s mission program.

I continued to watch the small objects via the amazingly clear detailed views presented in my control screen.  I was able to see the pilots of both small, triangular objects.  They wagged their wings and both waved to me.  I smiled and waved back to them.  The pilots seemed pleased with their achievement of recognition, and talked momentarily to each other.  Then, they began to alter their courses away from our saucer’s steep re-entry trajectory.

The pilots of the prettyships waved again to me as distance increased between us. It was hard to see details of the pilots, but I knew that they had felt as thrilled as I was about that personal communication of friendship between us and more, hopefully our races from different worlds.  I felt that the last waves had tested their limits of perception as much as it had tested my ability to perceive as great distances.

The saucer Captain gave me a brief explanation of the small objects.  During the explanation, I noticed the small objects begin to flutter as their forward parts began to heat by the encounters with outermost wisps of the Earth’s atmosphere.  I asked what made the Prettyships sparkle.  The saucer Captain explained that the heat shields of the small triangular Prettyships were heating, melting, disintegrating in the grinding exposure to the thin atmosphere.  The sparkles quickly flared into great, bright colors of two steady streams that streaked across the atmosphere for several thousands of miles.

I asked if the prettyships could last long at the rate they were going.  The saucer Captain said that the Prettyships were not expected to survive a re-entry trajectory such as the ones they were on now.  At that moment, debris from the explosion of one of the fiery objects began to impact with the heatshield of our small saucer.  A blossom of orange swept past us almost instantly.  There was only one massive trail of flames ahead of us, now.  I yelled at the saucer Captain to do something fast to save the surviving Prettyship.  The saucer Captain said normally there was no reason to save anyone who performed such dangerous flying maneuvers such as they had now attempted.  If I wanted to do something so badly, then do it now.  I took that as approval for some sort of action.

I asked the saucer computer to access data on the Prettyship-type heatshields and estimate the remaining time of survival for the one now ahead of us.  I directed the saucer computer to control the flight of the Prettyship and the saucer so that the saucer could fly safely to a position directly in front of the Prettyship, but ahead of it by a distance of six feet.  Then, I directed the saucer computer to control the configurations of both the saucer and the Prettyship so that the Prettyship could hide from the heat in the shadow created by the heatshield of the saucer.

The Prettyship refused to help the maneuver.  So, I concluded that the computer of the Prettyship had reached a critical state of function.  The saucer’s computer informed me that the pilot of the Prettyship had been unconscious for several seconds.  I commanded the computer of the Prettyship to either obey or be court-martialed and cast into the destruction of the atmosphere along with its pilot.  The pilot was now unconscious, barely alive in the superheated Prettyship.   I had to gain control of the Prettyship’s computer or lose the control of the dangerous situation.

The saucer was stressed beyond the design capabilities of its integrity and so was the Prettyship.  In desperation, I ordered the computer of the Prettyship to relinquish its control, or I would shoot it down before it could be court-martialed or lost to the heat of the atmospheric encounter.  Now it must indicate its compliance to my command by inverting its flight, extending its landing gear and allowing my direct control or laser would fire upon it.  The Prettyship immediately began to invert its flight and to extend its landing gear.  I directed the saucer computer to maintain a predicted flight path to anticipate the movements of the Prettyship and to keep the most of frontal surfaces of the Prettyship within the heat shadow created by the passage of the saucer directly in front of the dangerously hot Prettyship.

In unison as if a single object, the saucer and the yellow tipped lump of black that had so recently been one of the most beautiful constructs within the Solar System Research Expedition’s fleet, began to roll into an inverted flight.  The extended landing gear of the Prettyship reached slowly out of the heat shadow created by the mass of the saucer.  As the landing gear touched the wisps of the grinding force that was thin wisps of atmosphere, the action created resistance that made the curving velocity of the Prettyship and the saucer that was following ahead of it to increase.  The critical angle of the trajectory increased momentarily to the point where both the saucer and the Prettyship skipped off the outer atmosphere.  The saucer was barely able to make the maneuver in an almost synchronous anticipation of the slow movement by the Prettyship.

Both the saucer and the Prettyship fled from the heat of the atmosphere and out into the colder darkness of space.  The dangerous heat still made the Prettyship glow in dull colors, but at least the source of that heat had been removed.  I asked if there was any way for the cooling of the Prettyship to be increased.  Immediately I was advised of processes available, which could cause that result.  I commanded those processes to be initiated.  The great heat storage capabilities of the saucer’s propulsion systems were programmed to remove all the excess heat from the crippled Prettyship and convert it into instant power of acceleration.  The saucer cooled the hot Prettyship and like a speck of molten metal expelled from an explosion of great magnitude, the saucer leaped into light speed velocities.

The saucer’s computer had erroneously underestimated the total storage of available heat.  The result was an almost runaway saucer fleeing the solar orbit of Earth, moving at a velocity approaching the speed of light toward the hidden gas giant planet of Neptune.  The saucer’s computer expressed regret in the making of an error.  I said that the apology was accepted under the circumstances, now where were we going and at what rate?  The saucer’s computer predicted a collision with the edge of the distant gas giant planet unless velocity was altered immediately.  I told the saucer’s computer to plot a course using all possible gravity wells of the nearest planets and moons to affect the shortest route possible to return to the original point of re- entry.  The saucer’s computer indicated an elliptic journey of fifty-eight hours duration was now in progress.

The saucer captain, upon hearing the bad news, became angry and told the saucer’s computer that it would do better than that or it would soon be sold for junk because it managed to imprison its crew in a saucer full of stinky humans.

The saucer’s computer kept revising its determinations of the journey’s duration until the saucer Captain could do no better by it.  The mission control of the saucer could not be advised of the status of the saucer, so periodic updates were signaled every ten minutes.  No one on board the saucer was pleased to hear the ramifications of my personal interference with the agenda of the saucer’s mission.

The humans crowded into the small confines of the saucer’s control room found comfort where they could.  Some lay flat on the hard smooth floor of the saucer’s control room, others sat leaned up against whatever unoccupied surface they could find.  Two humans tried to sit, leaned up against each other.  That lasted for a few hours before they too, looked for a better way to make themselves more comfortable.

I asked the saucer’s computer to shine the same healing blue light onto all of the humans and to make them sleep while the unexpected journey progressed.  There were a quite a few technical details to be overcome before the saucer’s computer could reconfigure some of the optical capabilities of the interior laser lighting of the saucer’s control room.  Within ten minutes, multiple beams of the clear blue light brilliantly lighted the control room of the small saucer.

All of the humans had found the comfort of sleep and I continued to play on the control panel in front of me.  The cyborg crew were down graded in duty status and put into sleep modes of their existences.  Soon, only the saucer’s Captain and I were the only ones awake as the saucer passed back into the safety levels of reserved heat storage potentials.  We had survived a perilous incident without any apparent harm to any of the critical components of the saucer’s main propulsion systems.

The surviving Prettyship had drifted from where we had left it.  The Prettyship’s computer had monitored and somewhat controlled the heat dissipation capabilities of the damaged configuration it had taken to better protect its precious pilot.  The pilot was still unconscious, but at least the survival factor had been greatly modified and dangerous radiant heat had been controlled. The pilot of the Prettyship had entered an emergency survival mode of existence, probably expecting to experience the horror of burning up in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Now past the danger, the fears of the pilot had remained needlessly.  I asked if the Prettyship’s computer could interface with the sleeping pilot to affect the prominent memories of the recent events so that the pilot no longer continued with the terrible thoughts of dying.  The Prettyship’s computer was able to function in the intended fashion, and led the pilot’s consciousness into a more peaceful state of dreaming.  The pilot had been made to become unconscious, so it was better for the pilot to remain on that mode of minimal existence.  The stress levels of the dangerous time were identified and reduced so that the pilot might experience comfort and the attendant dream states of sleep.

The Prettyship had left Earth’s outer atmosphere at a terrific velocity.  It had past the outer limits of the moon’s orbit in a matter of minutes, now it hurled into the darkness of space in an uncontrolled trajectory.  The Prettyship was very difficult to find by the monitoring of the many ships now searching for it.  The configuration the Prettyship had assumed, now made it appear as a very difficult object to recognize as the Prettyship it had been.

All available computers determined long hours passed as critical parameters of identification.  Predictive capabilities of the many computers indicated the surviving Prettyship could be lost in the region of the asteroids.  Several Motherships began to make their way towards the most likely areas of space where there might be a chance of finding the tiny Prettyship as quickly as possible.

The saucer continued its mad rush away from the Earth.  As time passed, more and more of the tremendous reserve of heat was converted into direct propulsion and the attendant increase in acceleration.  Soon the barrier of light travel had been reached.  As the saucer fled the solar system, it also began to travel back in time proportionately to its increase in acceleration.

The saucer Captain and I discussed some of the possibilities now available to us.  Together we established the necessary commands to return our saucer to its original position and trajectory before the occurrence of the desperate incident of saving the Prettyship.  We tried to predict every solar body available to us as a remote possibility of a gravity well to use for our deceleration.  Left as we were now, we would soon be lost in space and time without any hope of ever being found.  Our prospects brightened as we impacted some small asteroids with the saucer’s automatically controlled proximity shields.  Some little decrease in our rate of our acceleration was noticed, but not enough to make any real difference.

It was necessary to formulate some contingency plans.  The saucer Captain and I agreed that should the possibility occur that we would be lost in space, the humans and the crew should not wake up to face the dim prospect.  That was not a good thing to consider, so we made the necessary arrangements to prevent the humans and the sleeping crew from regaining awareness so long as the possibility of being lost to the darkness of deep space could occur during this mission only.  The saucer’s computer established the necessary priorities and confirmed the endgame possibility.

The other consideration that the saucer Captain and I thoroughly discussed was the possibility of causing a paradox of some sort during the progression of the mission as it was now.  The danger of creating a paradox would be that there could be simultaneous effects in the time continuity and time displacement values of the areas through which we traveled with so much energy radiating from our saucer.

I asked whether or not there could be energy detected in the line of travel our saucer had passed.  The saucer’s computer replied that we could detect ionization of particles in space that we had affected, but if a Mothership tried the same detections, the Mothership could not possibly find any ionizations of our passage through space because it was not in the same time that we were currently in.  We had already traveled into the past about the equivalent of two days and we were fast increasing the rate of travel.  The propulsion systems had been given more energy potential than they were designed to contend with.  The only way to prevent an imminent explosion was to radiate enough energy to at least control the direction of our travel.  As long as there was too much energy to control, we would continue to travel into the past like a projectile.

Out of curiosity, I asked the saucer’s computer to establish a moment of occurrence when the saucer could be controlled.  After some definitions of what I had intended, the saucer’s computer obliged by being able to predict about when the saucer would have expended enough energy to become controlled in a conventional manner.  Then I asked for the saucer’s computer to plan a course that would allow the runaway saucer to reappear into normal time about ten minutes before the original point of the explosion of our propulsion system would have occurred.  Again some definitions and limitations had to be defined so that the saucer’s computer could carry out its computations effectively.

There was possibility of being able to effect a probable return to our original starting point, then continue on from there to the point of re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.  After a few necessary refinements, I was able to get a realistic solution to the problem of controlling the path of our trajectory so that we could most effectively use the gravity wells of two gas giant planets and a few lesser moons that orbited near enough to our path of travel.

The saucer’s computer continued to update relevant information as quickly as possible.  It predicted accurate answers could be forthcoming within a matter of hours.  The saucer’s Captain felt it necessary to rest, but he could not leave the monitoring of the saucer’s progress through time.  I asked if I could watch the main control screens while the saucer’s Captain rested. I would wake him should anything change or if anything appeared on the forward main control screen.  Satisfied that I knew what to watch and that I would wake him if anything changed, the saucer’s Captain went into a deep sleep.  So it went, one of us resting or sleeping while the other dutifully watched the forward main control screens.

Time went by rather quickly for me.  I liked to learn from the saucer’s computer.  There was a library of information that I could access without too much difficulty.  The saucer’s Captain amused himself in his own ways during the long hours while we waited for the crucial time of regaining the normal space-time flow.  All together, the time we spent traveling back and then forward in time amounted to four and a half days.

The saucer emerged into normal space-time flow almost exactly as had been predicted and we were able to watch the moments of the beginning of our incredible journey.  The saucer’s Captain ordered the saucer’s computer to communicate with the other saucer’s computer created by our paradoxical return to the same time and place.

The saucer’s computer was commanded to relay critical data information.  The information was to be considered sensitively secret, therefore not accessible by crew, nor any other inquiry source.  The secret information was the data we had accumulated and formulated to correct the flight path of the original saucer on its trajectory into the past.

The saucer’s Captain verified the complete transfer of data to the other saucer’s computer, which really was ourselves, in our own past, so that the saucer could survive the literal explosion in its propulsion system caused by the transfer of excess heat from the badly damaged Prettyship.

The saucer’s Captain also ordered analysis of the ion trail left by the derelict Prettyship.  The signature of the ion trail left in space by the passage of the Prettyship was sent to the computers of the nearest Mothership.  The ion signature of the Prettyship was necessary for the Mothership to identify and follow the Prettyship until it could be caught and a rescue of the sleeping pilot could be attempted.

Again the saucer’s Captain verified a transfer of sensitively secret information by the saucer’s computer to another computer so that there would be a rescue of the now sleeping pilot on board the derelict Prettyship. A Mothership’s computer verified that it was now moving its position to intercept the inert, almost invisible, derelict Prettyship.  Confirmed interception predicted within four hours, was the reply from the Mothership’s computer.   It was only a matter of time before the final phase of the rescue could be implemented.

Our saucer continued to lose speed and prepared for the long awaited re-entry phase of the extended mission.  The mission was extended only in our concepts of time, because we decided to re- enter the Earth’s atmosphere exactly one second behind the moment of our first re-entry.  When the first saucer veered up ahead of the surviving Prettyship, we continued to descend into the heavy buffeting of the re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.  Soon the flight of the small saucer settled down to a steady wobbling as we coursed down in the direction of the North American continent.

The original program of the saucer’s mission was altered to better effect the return of the abducted humans.  There was no difficulty in completing the return of the humans to their original rendezvous sites.  At the end of the mission, it was planned to awaken the humans from their prolonged sleep.  Then as a group, the humans would be re-hypnotized and new commands entered into their memories.

One of the humans had awakened and was quietly going through the process of being re-hypnotized.  One of the crewmembers discovered a book being held under the left arm.  A quick bit of pulling couldn’t free the book.  At that, the human began to plead for either the book that had been previously allowed, or something to replace it.  It was decided to give something in return for the book.  It was finally settled on that the human would see a star map and some other harmless information.

With Sphere’s help, a three dimensional star map was floating in the space directly in front of the human.  At first, there was a difficulty with color interpretations and relative spatial distances.  Sphere had to make a few minor adjustments to the database being used before the perception problems were resolved to the satisfaction of the human.

For a few long minutes, the human stood in awe, staring at the detailed display of dancing colors and information.  Sphere maintained a direct laser link to the human’s mind, orchestrating dataflows as quickly as perceptions would allow.  As quickly as thoughts and dataflows could interact, the flow of colors altered and whirled at the human’s command.  The dance of light soon ended as Sphere initiated the preliminary hypnotic trance in the human.  One of the crewmembers accompanied the human to rejoin the others grouped in the lower hold of the object.

The final debriefing of the humans began a long process.  Each individual was questioned, conflicts were resolved and an individualized programming was initiated.  The programming process took about ten minutes of real time.  Afterwards, the humans were carefully searched for any more items from the rear storage compartments in the rear of the main control cabin.  Several other items joined the book in question.  All these were returned to their original places.

At the appointed time, we would hug and kiss each other before we said our goodbyes.  Sadly, each person or couple would walk into the object’s transporter room.  Then, the humans were transported down to Earth and the saucer would leave for the next rendezvous point.  It took a little longer than forty-five minutes for the humans to be returned to their original contact points.

I was the last human to leave the small saucer at about four thirty in the morning darkness.  The curious adventure had left me feeling entirely not the same as I was before.  I felt so sick that I managed to get home only with great difficulty and much help from Sphere.  Quietly I found my bedroom and fell into instant sleep in my bed.  Sphere maintained a constant monitoring of my physical status and continued to shine a thin ray of blue light onto my form from the nearby window.  Slowly, Sphere began the intricate process of healing the internal physical damages done during the course of the biomedical examination by the aliens.

The usual time for me to wake up and prepare to go to school was about six thirty in the morning.  That particular morning, I slept in and when mom tried to wake me for breakfast, I merely groaned and went back to sleep.  I slept for the whole day.  I didn’t eat or drink anything for three days.  On the morning of the third day, I tried a mouthful of warm tea.  I couldn’t hold it down.  Later I tried a bit of fresh water and managed to hold that.  When it was decided that I didn’t spring a leak somewhere, on the advice from Sphere, I tried to drink some soup on the following day.  For a week I did nothing but sip a bit of soup and sleep all the time.

After a week of being unable to eat anything solid, Sphere decided that there must be a direct intervention to correct an obvious problem in my abdominal area.  Sphere was concerned about the probability of a successful operation and accessed many sources of medical data for the guiding knowledge necessary to undertake the invasive manipulation and correction.  I slowly got dressed and met Sphere outside the back door of the house.  Sphere tried to help me climb the hill at the back of the house to a safe, quiet location.  We went to an area where my favorite pine tree grew.

I sat down and leaned against the tree while Sphere ran the preliminary checks to test the procedures to be followed in the course of the invasive correction.  When Sphere was satisfied that all was prepared, the program was initiated.  Sphere began by hypnotizing me and several direct connections into my mind were established.  Laser beams began to make an opening into my abdominal area for the tiny manipulator arm that was normally an antenna of one of Sphere’s axis.  Sphere was very capable and accurate in its complex manipulations and laserings.

I don’t remember much of the invasive correction.  I do remember that I was in a lot of pain for a long time while Sphere made the necessary invasion into my stomach area.  The procedure took several hours and a lot of endurance on my part.  Once the ordeal was over, I began to feel much better.  Sphere had done a wonderful job of fixing me.  It was necessary for a thin blue light to be maintained on me for an extended period of time to effectively heal the particular sites of the invasive procedures.  Within a few days, I was well on the road to recovery.  I still refused to go to school.  I hadn’t recovered the strength necessary for that yet.

As much as possible, Sphere began to alter the vital organ functions that controlled the physical capabilities I had in human form.  That is to say, there were many improvements made to my vital functions so that I could perform to one hundred per cent capacity in physical and mental abilities.  By the end of the second week, I was back to my old level of health and improving rapidly to new levels of physical strength and mental ability.  I was told by Sphere that I had been about six to ten percent efficient with my old levels of functions.  Now, I was to be completely efficient in all of my abilities and capabilities.

Sphere helped me to adapt to my new abilities and levels of functions of my physical form.  There were problems to correct in the first few days after my invasive corrections.  Some of the problems were corrected by retraining myself to new responses and capabilities.  New controls of old functions and responses had to be established and learned as rapidly as I healed.  Sphere devoted much time and effort in its priorities to the necessary task of helping me, as I required and when I needed that precious help.  Soon, the day arrived when I was strong enough to return to school.

I had been too ill to attend school for about two weeks.  During the first day back to school, I was sore and weak.  I somehow managed to get through the day.  I barely managed to endure the bus ride home.  As soon as I could, I made for the meeting place where I knew Sphere would be.  I sat, leaned up against my favorite pine tree until Sphere appeared.

Within moments, Sphere determined what was wrong with me.  Again, Sphere made corrections to my internal organs via direct invasive manipulations.  During the procedures, Sphere directly controlled pain levels, bleeding rates, healing rates and organ functions.  I felt serenely peaceful as I watched and experienced the advanced surgical procedures being carried out upon myself.  Afterwards, I was bathed in blue laser light for accelerated healing.  Slowly, carefully, I made my way back home for supper.

After eating a small supper, I went into my bedroom.  I rolled and stretched out on my bed and was asleep within moments.  During my sleep, Sphere came to my bedroom window.  Invisible and silent, Sphere continued to shine blue laser light upon me.  For most of the dark hours, Sphere hovered at my window, healing me as I slept.

The following morning, I was feeling much better and more capable as I left for school.  I made the short walk to the schoolbus stop before my strength gave out.  When the schoolbus came, I found I couldn’t lift my legs high enough to get on the bus.  Pain and weakness in my abdominal area almost made me faint.  The schoolbus driver, a friend of mine for all the years I had been taking a bus to school, literally carried me onto the schoolbus.  The front seat of the schoolbus was cleared for me and I was deposited upon it.

When the schoolbus reached my school, I stayed seated until all the students had disembarked.  Carefully, the schoolbus driver carried me off the bus and helped me to stand up. In a slow shuffle, I made my way into school.  All the schoolbus driver could do was to shake his head in disbelief.  He couldn’t understand how such a young, healthy and vibrantly alive person like myself could be reduced to such a deplorable and obviously painful state of existence.  Even more unbelievable was the fact that I had insisted on going to school in the first place.  As far as he was concerned, I would have been better served had he taken me straight to the hospital.

Somehow, I managed to make it through the morning.  By noon, my internal pain was so great that I couldn’t bear it any longer. I called home and told mom that I just wasn’t feeling well enough to be at school.  Mom called dad and made arrangements for him to pick me up and take me home.  Dad was furious and during the whole drive home, he lectured me.  I was simply grateful to make it to my bed and I slept.  Dad drove back to his job in the city.

Sphere appeared at my window again.  As I slept, Sphere made more minor corrections and did more healing.  Again, Sphere stayed in attendance to speed up my healing processes.  Several times mom checked in to see that I was still sleeping.  I slept through until the following morning.  Again, I woke up, readied myself for school and had breakfast.  I trudged out to the schoolbus stop and waited for the schoolbus.  This time I managed to climb the stairs of the schoolbus on my own.  Although I was in pain throughout most of the day, I managed to make it through.

I was pretty weak by the time I met Sphere again at four o’clock that afternoon.  Sphere and I communicated at length.  All the while, Sphere bathed my body in blue laser to speed my healing processes.  After two hours of intensely interactive communication and laser bathing, Sphere and I parted so that I could go for supper.  I went into my bedroom as soon as I could and went to sleep.  Sphere visited me in the hours of darkness.  During that time, I was healed internally while we communicated via the laser link.  A week went by before Sphere ceased to visit me at night.

Our visits together were once more limited to an hour.  I would rush home as quickly as possible to eat a snack and race out to meet Sphere.  At some point, I successfully persuaded Sphere to help me with my homework.  I thought I was doing just fine, pleased at that accomplishment.  That is, until I discovered that the answers given by Sphere were at odds with known sciences.  I did suffer a bit of embarrassment and punishment from school.  The answers I gave to some questions made students laugh, teachers were either outraged or upset.  Later with Sphere, I recounted the day’s occurrences.  Sphere resolved to study human sciences more closely.  I had no more trouble with the answers I gave knowingly while at school.  To me, it was all part of reciting whatever it took to please the all so knowing teachers.  Sphere proved quite helpful in that respect.

Snow came and so did Christmas.  Sphere had decided to follow the human custom of giving a present in the spirit of Christmas.  I was surprised and pleased with what Sphere grandly announced to me during one of our meetings.  There was to be a scheduled flight by a saucer that evening for maintenance routines.  I would be able to accompany the saucer on its regular maintenance mission as one of the normal crew.

I was to be a passenger on a spacecraft during a routine maintenance mission.  My authorized priority allowed me to participate as a crewmember of the mission.  For the most part, I only sat and watched the monitor screen assigned to me.  At times, there were questions that I asked of the Saucer’s computer.  The computer was a semi-sentient artificial intelligence that could perform certain routine missions on its own initiative.  As it happened, this saucer had an experienced crew consisting of a Captain, two alien crewmembers, a Cyborg and myself.  The saucer accommodated our presence in relative comfort.

The maintenance priority mission of our saucer spacecraft originated from the lunar base.  A flight of four hours was necessary to approach to deceleration and rendezvous with a Starseed base.  The low priority mission was a routine mission with very little or no personal safety risk.  The gravitational field of the saucer was performing optimally.  Protective energy shields ensured no possible physical danger inspite of our close proximity to the sun.

The saucer mission was a maintenance priority trip to the Starseed station based somewhere near the inner levels of the coronosphere of Sol.  The Starseed station was in need of a routine visit by the aliens to gather rare elements and to perform necessary checks of the fully automated base.  Computers of the saucer were instructed to locate and navigate safely and automatically to the docking area of the Starseed base.  Almost a half hour of flight time within the coronosphere of the sun was necessary for the saucer to home in on the Starseed platform.

After some worrying and certain routine control manipulations of the crewmembers, the saucer thudded against something apparently solid in the maelstrom of light and plasma fire of the surface of the sun.  The saucer stabilized as well as it could in the unstable environment of the surface of the sun.

The Captain communicated directly to the main control computer of the Starseed station via the computer of the saucer.  In a brief series of commands, the saucer Captain ordered the docking area of the Starseed station to prepare itself for our initial docking and boarding maneuvers.  It took several minutes for the computer of the Starseed station to comply with the saucer Captain’s orders.  The docking iris of the saucer was extended directly from the bridge of the saucer to the main access docking area.  A wait of about five minutes was necessary for air pressure to equalize on both sides of the saucer’s docking iris.

Quickly, the docking iris of the saucer rotated into an open position.  A draft of hot air rushed into the saucer’s interior from the main docking area of the Starseed station.  Thick smells of cooked metal surfaces and stale air assailed my nostrils.  The air pressure increased noticeably, adding to my discomfort.  I winced a bit and squinted my eyes, as the heated air seemed to pass through my light clothing.  The alien crewmembers were wearing their uniform protective coveralls that was more than adequate protection against the heat.  They didn’t notice my distress as they dutifully passed through the main iris access to the main docking area of the Starseed station.

The saucer Captain led the file of personnel across the floor of the vast main docking area to a sealed access door.  The saucer Captain tried unsuccessfully to open the access door.  The manual method of opening the access door failed.  Angry and frustrated, the saucer Captain stomped back across the hundred-foot cube of the main docking area and the fifty feet or so across the control room of the saucer.  The saucer Captain was not pleased with the walk.

The saucer Captain sat in his control position and thought for a few minutes.  The saucer Captain established a communication link from the computer of the saucer to the computer of the Starseed station.  After a few inquiries, the saucer Captain determined the protocol necessary to enable the computer of the Starseed station to affect the necessary opening of the uncooperative access door.

The saucer Captain walked back to rejoin the others waiting at the inoperative access door.  Long minutes dragged by, everyone was wilting in the intolerable heat of the main docking area.  I began to sweat profusely, my thin clothes stuck to my body and my face dripped.  The saucer Captain noticed my distress with a distress of his own, “Oh, no, now we have a stinky human to endure for the rest of this mission!”  Sweat and all body wastes of humans stink most offensively to aliens.

We stood sullenly at the inoperative access door for almost fifteen minutes.  We could hear welding and grinding of metal, the moving of heavy machinery sounds from behind the inert access door.  Finally, the iris opening of the main docking area access door began to rotate into an opening. A flow of cool, oxygen rich air flowed out and around us.  I started to shiver in the coolness as I waited for my turn to pass through the small opening.

The main docking area access door opened into a small cubicle from which led two main passageways.  The saucer captain led the way down the smaller and narrower of the two passages.  This passage proved to continue for about five hundred feet along the central axis of the Starseed station.  In single file, we made our way toward the main control room of the Starseed station.  At the end of the long, narrow passage waited another closed access door.

The saucer Captain stalked up to the access door and kicked it hard enough to make it ring.  ” Open this door now or I abort this mission,” He yelled.

I guess the Starseed station computer ran some analog programs, did voice recognition and verify, identified the originator of the noise, recognized stress patterns indigenous to the recorded voice, ran something like a lie detector test, then assimilated all available information into a continuously evolving probability program.  At some point in the masses of computation, an alert to danger was set off within the Starseed station’s most eminently capable although incalculably old computer.  The access door opened by itself within a second of the cessation of the saucer captain’s yell.

The saucer Captain stood in the opening, trembling. He composed himself for a minute before leading the way into the main control room of the Starseed station.  Without a word, everyone seated themselves at their respective control positions.  I stood in the middle of the main control room, silent observer of the situation.  Everyone performed their routines of control manipulations and resetting of automatic control values.  Routine tests were run and verified by both computers of the saucer and the Starseed station.  Everything checked out within what was considered normal parameters for the test results.

A cartridge recording of the Starseed station’s most recent period of duty was removed and replaced with a new cartridge.  The old record cartridge was placed in an especially protective pouch and stuck on the utility belt of one of the alien crewmembers.  The entire maintenance session in the main control room lasted about ten minutes.

Having accomplished the routine maintenance procedures, the saucer Captain led the return to the saucer.  As we filed down the long, narrow passage, we heard the main control room access door clang shut behind us.  The main docking area access door opened before us and closed efficiently after our passage.  Still in single file, we crossed the expanse of the main docking area to gain entry into the saucer.  Both the irises of the main docking area and the saucer closed simultaneously.  Air pressure and temperature within the saucer stabilized to within acceptable normal parameters.

The crewmembers of the saucer resumed control of the saucer.  A faster than light message was sent to the lunar base informing that base of the progress of our routine maintenance mission. A reply to the message was soon received authorizing the continuation of our mission to the lunar base.  The saucer immediately separated from the Starseed station and began its return flight.  The almost exact same flight path was followed during the coming and going of the saucer.  The flight to the lunar base was uneventful, although the saucer Captain complained frequently about the terrible smell of the stinky human on board.

The saucer dipped and rolled into a shallow descent toward a rather large crater on the lunar surface.  Smoothly and silently the saucer slowed to a hovering position in front of a large rock face of the crater.  Upon closer examination, several small rectangular windows could be seen at intervals along the length of the disguised door.  The rock door opened by swinging inward and upward, hinged at the top to the lunar rock.  Beyond the disguised doorway, a smooth white floor extended for about two hundred feet.

Quickly the saucer moved through the doorway into a large hanger space.  The disguised door moved back into place and sealed itself.  Within a few minutes, atmosphere began to flood into the hangar area.  About twelve minutes wait was necessary before the saucer-landing ramp opened and extended from the middle of the saucer’s control room to the floor of the hangar area.

The saucer Captain led the crew from the saucer to an iris type access door at the far end of the hangar area.  The iris of the access door whirred open and we passed through it into a wide hallway.  The wide hallway was a main corridor that extended the length of the hidden lunar station.  Along the length of the corridor could be seen the openings of thirty or so doors.

As it was, we only went to the second door before we turned and entered the room beyond.  Someone waited for us to enter, standing patiently before a row of chairs.  Hastily we seated ourselves and without further ado, began to answer pointed questions about the mission.  The questioning went on until the facts of the mission had been recounted to the satisfaction of the interviewer.  The questioning ended with several minutes of silence.  The interviewer gestured to the saucer Captain and promptly left the room.

Only then, were we allowed to conduct ourselves as we chose within the confines of the lunar base. The saucer Captain spoke a few words to his crewmembers before he followed the interviewer.  Respectfully, the crewmembers of the saucer waited a few more minutes before they filed out of the room.  Where they went, I don’t know.  I had no idea of what surprises could be awaiting me if I did chose to follow them.  I seemed to think that I didn’t want to find that out.

I thought of exploring the hangar area.  I went back through the access door of the hangar area.  I found myself in a curious frame of mind.  I walked around the entire perimeter of the hangar area.  This hangar was large enough to have accommodated four of the same craft in which I had recently arrived.  I was impressed with the volume of space enclosed within this hangar.

I noted many features of the hangar area such as the smooth whiteness of the hard floor.  The ceiling, which must have been fifty feet above me, looked to be the same white material as the floor.  Whatever that material was I had no idea, but it was all spotlessly clean and unscratched as if it was brand new.  There wasn’t even dust to be found upon that marvelous surface.   Against the middle of the wall opposite the hangar entrance, there was a workbench of a sort.

The workbench was about fifteen feet long and about five feet wide.  Drawers of various sizes could be seen to mark the smooth surface of the side of the workbench facing out toward the main hangar area.  It seemed that the top height of the workbench could be adjusted to suit the needs of the workers.  A thin line ran around the base, and a sliding mark on the side of the workbench confirmed my observation.

I tried to open one of the drawers in the side of the workbench. To my surprise, the drawer slid easily open at a slight touch on a thin strip along its top.  The thin strip acted like a push button.  A slight pressure on the thin strip caused the drawer to move outward into an open position.  A slightly harder push on the thin strip caused the drawer to retract back into the side of the workbench.  Cautiously, I caused the drawer to extend into its fully opened position.

I found a neatly arranged set of tools and instruments.  I could detect only the slightest hints of their having been used.  The tools showed light marks of wear as they rested in their places.  The instruments were in the same spotless condition although they were still set for whatever purpose they had been last used.  I tried to imagine what the clean tools and instruments could be used for.  Carefully, I pushed the drawer back into its closed position.

The wall along the one side of the hangar area was clearly marked with locker doors of various sizes.  I left the workbench to walk over to the clearly marked locker doors.  Like the drawers of the workbench, the doors of the lockers had the same thin strips of control.  I carefully opened one of the lockers to look at what it contained.

The locker door swung open to reveal a complete spacesuit of shiny material.  Bulky, oversized boots and a clear plastic helmet were stored on separate shelves.  At the bottom of the locker was a large pack of some kind.  I presumed the pack to be atmosphere containers of oxygen and inert gasses.  I began to look more closely at the spacesuit to see where the air pack was attached.

A bright light erupted into the soft lighting of the main hangar area.  The iris of the access door to the long hallway rotated open.  A Cyborg stepped through the opening and the iris of the access door immediately slid into its closed position.  I couldn’t see clearly enough to recognize the Cyborg’s facial features.  In a hurry, I closed the locker door and sealed it.  I turned to face the Cyborg as it strode the distance to where I stood.

I felt like an adult who had been caught by a child with my hand in the cookie jar.  I was not guilty of anything, although I had been seen looking into a locker.  The Cyborg made the motion for me to follow.  Sullenly, dutifully, I followed the Cyborg out of the main hangar area.  We made our way to the spacious second room along the main hallway.  We sat and waited in silence.  Sounds of footsteps stopped outside the closed door.  A very intense discussion in whispers took place.

A few minutes later, both the saucer Captain and the officer whom I had seen before, entered the room.  The Cyborg quickly stood up and waited until both officers had seated themselves at the front of the room.  I remained seated, unaware of what was about to transpire.  The Cyborg sat heavily back onto the chair, still staring straight ahead as it always would.

The superior officer questioned the saucer Captain about several things in a language I could not understand.  The saucer Captain was quick to reply in that same language.  I couldn’t understand what was actually being said, but the gist of it was why a human could be running around loose in the lunar base unescorted, and opening critically important spacesuit lockers.  The superior officer turned his questions to the Cyborg.  In a monotone voice, the Cyborg replied stating what evidently were the facts of the situation when I was found.

In perfect English speech, the superior officer questioned me at great length.  I answered all his questions to the best of my ability.  I was sure the superior officer was not satisfied with whatever answers I gave about my presence in the Lunar base and my sense of curiosity in exploring drawers and lockers.  I was really considered as a human spy security risk regardless of my priority mission authorizations.  How could a human obtain freedom in any kind of expeditionary facility?  I was setting a precedent that I wasn’t so sure I wanted to do.

I sat patiently while the superior officer and saucer Captain argued about the situation caused by my presence in the lunar base.  The arguing continued in a rapidly rising crescendo.  Abruptly, the superior officer lapsed into his unintelligible language for a few sentences.  Quickly, the superior officer stood and the matter of my presence in the lunar base was closed.  The saucer Captain and the Cyborg jumped up to stand at attention.  Summarily, the angry superior officer stalked from the room.

The saucer Captain and the Cyborg remained standing.  I was sure some kind of potent wrath had descended upon them.  With a sigh of deep resignation, the saucer Captain informed me of what had been said by the superior officer about my presence in the lunar base.

I was to be restricted in my movements to only this particular room and the main hangar area, if I did not open any drawers and lockers.  Otherwise, I would be confined to the saucer if I my activities weren’t cause to subject me to an execution.  The Cyborg was to accompany me at all times while I remained in the lunar base and report my activities directly to the superior officer.  I was very apologetic to the saucer captain for whatever grief I had caused by my innocent curiosity.

I returned to the main hangar area after the saucer Captain had left.  The Cyborg dutifully followed me wherever I wandered. I made no attempt to open anything, or to do anything wrong.  I became bored with nothing to do in the large main hangar area.  I finally came to rest, staring out of a small rectangular window in one of the main hangar doors.  It took my eyes more than a few minutes to adjust to the very dim, almost reflected light that was available from outside.  I found it helped considerably to hold my hands up to my face and protect my eyes from the glare of the main hangar lighting as it reflected off the glass like window.

The scene of pristine lunar landscape and a black sky filled with myriads of stars beyond, was a wondrous sight to me. I stared out of the window in fascination, awed by the magnitude of what my eyes beheld.  I was on the moon, I was in a Lunar base, the saucer that carried me safely here from a recent trip to the sun rested in the middle of this great hangar, a Cyborg crewmember of that saucer stood quietly, motionlessly, a few feet directly behind me.

My mind began to reel under a heavy load of doubting questions.  Slowly, I began to resolve my mental turmoil, knowing that my own subconscious was having a difficult time in accepting all that my conscious mind was experiencing.  I relaxed and counted my breaths until my moments of anxiety dissipated.

I looked carefully out of the window at the ground directly in front of the main hangar doors.  The ground was smooth, covered by the light powdery crater dust that was so evident everywhere. I would have thought the passage of innumerable spacecraft to and from the main hangar must have left some kind of marks in the very powdery lunar dust.  Obviously, I was wrong.  I couldn’t see any kind of visibly unnatural marks in the dark grays and starkly darker shadows of the immediate lunar surface.

In the distance, I could make out the roughness of small pebbles and rocks.  At a greater distance, the sharply angled peaks of the crater’s rim thrust above the meteor pocked general flatness of the crater’s floor.  Vaguely, I could make out the circular curve of the crater walls in which this main entrance to the lunar base was hidden.

I pondered the magnitude of the effort needed to construct the lunar base.  These vast vaults of the hangar areas, long passages, and the primary areas of the base itself were simply cut from the tormented rock of the Moon.  The whole interior of the lunar base was finished in the uniformly smooth hard material of white.  I thought of the difficulties in concealing such a large project from the prying telescopic eyes of Earth.  Somehow, it was done because the Lunar Base was still hidden and fully functional.  I was breathing the proof of that great effort.

I must have stood looking out of that same window for a long time.   There was no way for me to tell the passage of time except by guessing.  The inky shadows of light outside didn’t change appreciably during the whole time I stood at the window.   Whatever the source of outside light may have been, whether from the sun or Earth, that source was far more stable than the inexorable motion of Earth’s shadows. I couldn’t tell time by the movement of shadows on the Moon.

A sudden increase in the glare of light on the inside surface of the window caught my attention.  I turned around to see the iris of the access to the long hallway opening.  The crew of the saucer, led by the saucer Captain, trooped out in single file.  They paced their way towards the loading ramp of the saucer.  I ran to meet them at the saucer-loading ramp while the Cyborg followed sedately behind me.

From the loading ramp, I waved goodbye to the Cyborg who had been assigned to guard over me.  I walked up the loading ramp into the saucer while the Cyborg made its way toward the access to the long hallway.  The saucer retracted its main loading ramp at about the same time that the iris of the access began to rotate into a closed position.  The saucer sealed itself in preparation for space while the hangar area was voided of atmosphere.

I held my breath eight times while we waited for the main hangar doors to swing up into their locked open position.  During that time, I did manage to configure a secondary control console to suit my own purposes.  I oriented a viewing screen to display images directly aft of the saucer.  I had intended to watch the departure of the saucer from the lunar base.

I focused the display screen of the control console to show the interior of the hangar area.  Quickly, I made out the details of the dimly illuminated hangar area.  I noted the wall of lockers on the left side of the hangar area, the main access door atop the small flight of steps, the large workbench standing outlined on the hangar floor.

I barely noticed movement on the wall of lockers.  I looked to see that a second wall slid upwards to cover access to the wall of lockers.  I noticed other vague movements as walls slid up or across to cover the interior of the hangar area.  The thick protective walls seemed to glide as smoothly as shadow into their positions.  The large workbench slipped downwards into its recessed position.  It could not be distinguished from the rest of the floor around it.  The interior of the large hangar area configured into a dimly lit, light gray, featureless box.

The saucer began to roll across the main hangar floor.  I was surprised to suddenly realize the far wall of the main hangar area was moving away from me. Almost as soon as the saucer was in motion, the landing gear began to be retracted.  The landing gear was fully retracted by the time the saucer had cleared the main hangar doors.  I couldn’t detect any motion at all as the saucer launched from the lunar base.

Within moments the great crater was no longer visible as the saucer arced up into the blackness of space.  I continued to stare at the receding Moon for about five minutes.  From the pebbled slope in front of the hangar area to the fine dust and jagged ridges in the crater floor, above the steep cliffs of the crater’s rim, the saucer arced into a vertical climb away from the lunar base.

The entire passage of the saucer from the lunar base to the outer atmosphere of Earth lasted only seventeen minutes.  The fast flight of the saucer became buffeted by the wisps of the highest vestiges of Earth’s atmosphere.  The saucer began its deceleration and descent into the lower atmospheric levels.  Greater control of the saucer’s flight path was required.  The saucer Captain ordered the Cyborg to use the secondary control console I was using.  I started to protest to the Cyborg before I realized that my efforts would be of no use.

I was shooed away from the secondary control console by the Cyborg member of the saucer crew.  By its actions, I realized this Cyborg was not the same one that had been on the saucer before.  I resolved to try to find out what happened to the original Cyborg crewmember.  I hoped it hadn’t been deactivated or something worse because of my innocent actions.

Normally, a saucer will be held in high atmosphere for several hours.  The cold temperatures of the outer surfaces cause dense clouds of vapor condensation to form.  If the saucer is cold enough, as ours was, an instant storm could be created to the detriment of normal weather patterns.  A saucer that was allowed to warm sufficiently wouldn’t cause a contrail of storms.  As it was, there was a large storm brewing over the destination area.    The saucer Captain decided that there would be little need of warming up the saucer before entering our destination area.

In a furious storm of sheet lightning and heavy rain, the saucer glided to hover at the destination site.  The main loading ramp was opened and extended down from the control room floor.  I quickly shook hands with everyone of the saucer’s crew and said a few words of thanks and farewell.  I walked down the ramp and prepared myself for the onslaught of the summer storm’s wind and rain.  Nature’s furious welcome drenched me within moments as I left the landing area to make my way home.

I walked for a short distance in the rain before Sphere appeared beside me.  We communicated via laser link about my mission.  Sphere determined that it would be safe to communicate with me as we walked between the trees of our orchard.  Sphere was interested in the comparison of my version of the experience as compared to the ‘official’ description of the mission.  Apparently, there were significant discrepancies that Sphere tried to resolve.  Our communication process was completed when I went inside my home.

It is hard to say what my friend Sphere has done for me, other than to show me the vast extent of the universe.  Galactic clusters and myriads of starswarms float freely in a sixteen dimensional overlay of apparent existence.  Within the galactic constructs are found ageless and timeless manifestations of energy and matter.  In some rare circumstances, intelligence has flourished in wondrous profusion.  But for the most part, energy and matter swirl in lifeless chaos throughout the finite universe.

Most weekdays fell into a routine for me.  I would get up early, get dressed, have a breakfast, and then rush off to meet the schoolbus.  So would begin every day that I went to school.  At the end of the day, the same old schoolbus would deposit me back at the same bus stop.  From there, I would make my way home.  A quick snack of cookies or something, along with a drink would complete the fare.  Then, I would rush out of the house, through the orchard and up the hill to my favorite place.  I would seat myself at the base of my favorite tree and settle myself down.

I wouldn’t have to wait for very long before my friend Sphere would show up.  A preliminary greeting would take place.  My laserlink access to Sphere’s User Personality Interface would be initiated and confirmed.  Then Sphere would help me to review the events of the day and itemize details of interest to be covered during the present session.  As soon as an outline of the current session was completed, we would begin to explore the universe of light and dataflows of information.

During one session, Sphere asked me if I would confirm an extended time for a particular visit.  It was an unusual request from Sphere because normally our daily sessions of an hour or even a few hours were more than enough time for whatever purpose was in mind.  This time, Sphere would not divulge the nature or the destination of the intended visit.  It would be a surprise for me to enjoy.  Thinking that there could be no arm in trusting Sphere’s planning, I confirmed my participation in the ‘surprise visit’.  The coming weekend was allotted for the purposes as Sphere had intended.

Late on the Friday evening, I went out to the usual place where I met Sphere.  I sat in my usual spot until Sphere arrived.  Sphere initiated the User Personality Interface to communicate with me.  We began to communicate as usual.  Meanwhile, a ship approached as close as it dared to my position.  A beam of sparkling yellow light locked onto both Sphere and myself.  We were transported to the interior of the ship as it hovered close by.  Within moments, we were well on our way to an unknown destination.

The ship I was on had been very fast as far as I was concerned.  Within seventeen minutes, we had passed the orbit of the Moon.  At a time of twenty-five minutes, we rendezvoused with a much larger Mothership.  At speed, we were docked within the Mothership.  The Mothership continued on its way to the unknown destination.

I stayed inside the ship I had been extracted from Earth with.  There was a sleeping area for my own use.  I decided to make use of the bed and soon was asleep.  I have no idea of how long I slept or of where we traveled.  All I know was that I was mentally and physically prepared for my intended visit, as I slept.

My body could only tell me that it was morning when I awakened.  I felt well rested and fit as I got up from the little bed I had spent so many hours on.  I was not thirsty, nor hungry.  I eagerly made my way to the control room of the ship.  The crew was intent on the controls of the ship, so they paid no attention to my presence.  Sphere indicated that I should look at one of the wall monitors showing the destination of our journey.  In the monitor showed a dark little orb that circled a distant sun.  Information flowed to me as I inquired about what I was seeing.  The full dataflows of information contained enough to keep me busy as the ship approached its landing zone.

As the ship neared the surface of the little planet, I was motivated to enter the transportation chamber in the center of the ship.  The ovoid door of that chamber closed.  A few moments later, I was standing on a rough red surface, attired in different garb than what I had been wearing.  I was as much surprised by the changing of my clothes without my notice as I was about the fact that the red rock beneath my feet.  I looked down in surprise.  A strong wind bowled me over completely.  I rolled a short distance before I managed to stop my wind driven motions.  I stared around me to collect my senses.

It is funny to think of a purple sky.  I don’t mean funny, “Ha! HA!” Rather, I mean funny as in strange, unnatural, and especially un-Earthly.  I always like to think of a blue sky as being familiar to my sight.  But, it has not always been so.  Sometimes, a purple sky is seen as the glorious glows of the setting sun.  Then again, purple are the skies at brightest noon of a small planet orbiting a dark and distant binary star system.  In either setting, purple sky fascinates me to no end as it fills me with wonder at the strangeness of it.

There is a far away place that I know has a purple sky.  It is a dim place with great plains of flatness stretching from rising dark red mountains down to an arc of a four hundred foot cliff beyond the short horizon of the small world.  These great plains are not perfectly flat.  Vast areas of the red sands have been compacted into a thin crust.  In places, the thin crust has broken to expose the soft sands underneath to erosion effects of the wind.  No great storm rises in the constantly blowing winds to push the dark red sands into dunes.  So slowly do the sandy red plains show any change in the dim progression of night to day under the purple sky.

A great ridge of red rock rises up out of the red sands, smoothed and swept bare by the almost constant winds.  Upon this great ridge of red rock, stands a squat, stone building complex.  Massive walls rise up, cracked and pitted by time, to stand monumentally against the purple sky.  The red walls of the building are as weathered and eroded as the very foundations of rock upon which they sleep.  Cracked and scarred, the red walls rise up slanted to their tops without belying true thickness.  In places, the wall foundations were almost twenty feet thick.  The red walls were hewn to last indefinitely, literally a fortress against all enemies including the passage of time.

There is no visible way to this monumental fortress of solitude under the purple sky.  Neither road, nor path eases the journey across the vast featureless plains to the heights of this megalithic escarpment.  Neither oasis, nor gardens mark the possibility of comfort or even survival.  No signs of habitation marred the desolate ruins of the monumental fortress under the purple sky.  No respite from the steady winds is offered anywhere along the approach to the timeless wonder.

From what I can remember, I first stood on the almost flat top of the red rock ridge.  The pressure of the wind was uncomfortable as it tried to push me along towards the massive fortress a good distance away.  I stumbled as much as I stepped across the roughly weathered surface of ancient rock.  Once, I stumbled and almost fell, had it not been for my companion who steadied me.  I was not alone, although I knew that I was supposed to be alone.  My companion unobtrusively communicated to me, explaining much to me as I stared at the wonderful scenes around me.

Slowly, carefully, I made my way across the wind-smoothed surfaces of the red rock ridge.  At certain places, exposure to the wind threatened to upset my precarious balance.  I have a terrible sense of balance and the wind played havoc with my legs as I stepped each step of my journey.  I became completely occupied with the simple act of walking.  My concentration was such that I literally walked into the face of the northern most wall of the Red Rock Fortress.  It was only then that I realized the true height and massiveness of the great walls.

I made my way along the eastern wall.  The edge of the cliff was only a short distance away.  I looked ahead to see my course narrow considerably.  All the while the wind threatened to lift and hurl me at its whim over the side of the precipice.  I stopped, clung as closely as possible to the wall for my own protection against the relentless wind.  Somehow, my fingers at the extent of my outstretched arms had found a precarious handhold.  I steadied myself, rested and recomposed my tattered confidence.  After a few minutes, I renewed my efforts to cross this ominous stretch of my journey.

My progress along the base of the red rock wall was haltingly slow.  The flat surface on which I stood was now only a few feet across at the edge of the cliff.  The wind whistled in my covered ears as it tugged and pulled me in its blasting force.  Slowly, I made my way along the base of the wall.  My hands gripping tightly, moved from one crack to another.  My feet sidled sideways at each turn only after my hands had secured themselves to the grooves and cracks in the red rock.

This part of my journey was the most dangerous.  It did more than test my mettle and capabilities.  My only thoughts were to keep myself steadily moving from one handhold to another, to put one foot down beside the other.  No thought was given to what was immediately at my back, or to the distance of the narrowing ledge ahead of me.  I had to simply endure the tremendous difficulties of moving along the base of the red rock wall.  So many times, the wind threatened to tear me physically away from the red rock wall.  Without my tight grip on handholds, I surely would have been lifted up in the great drafts that swept past me.

My circumstances were so perilous that I was dearly frightened.  At my back was an almost unbearably strong force trying its best to hurl me over a precipice to an assuredly fatal fate.  And, the ledge to which I clung so desperately had narrowed to barely little more than my own width.  At this point, I looked down over the edge of the cliff.  The red sands looked so invitingly close and soft.  Those red sands covered over boulders and broken rock of all sizes.  How deadly rough the rubble lay buried and waiting in the soft red sand hundreds of feet below.
I was very tired and my body demanded rest.  I stood on the narrow ledge, spread eagled against the rough base of the red wall, my arms stretched out to shallow handholds.  My breath was short and rapid as sand dust filled my nose and mouth.  I risked freeing one had to adjust the roughly thick cloth covering most of my face.  After a few minutes, my breathing settled down considerably and my body regained about sixty per cent of its functionality.  With renewed courage and strength, I began moving again.

My awareness of the world around me narrowed to a small area of the red rock wall and the ledge beneath me.  My only concern was to find new handholds and to keep my feet firmly planted during each and every movement I made.  I tired quickly as I moved my limbs separately and slid my body along the base of the red rock wall.  I managed to move barely ten feet before I was so tired that I had to rest once more.

There is an entrance of sorts at the south end of the great red walls perched so perilously close to the precipice.  The vaulted entrance extends inward about ten feet to basalt-like columns of a compellingly massive door.  Slowly, silently, the bearing weight of the door moved precisely to allow admittance.  It surely must not be an easy thing to budge, let alone open the formidable barrier of the massive door as the one being does.  Yes, only a rather small, but obviously powerful and capable being moves the door open and closed as needed.  This same being escorts newcomers along the cavernous passageway to the first of many waiting areas for deeper parts of the timeless fortress.

The squat little being opened the massive door wide, beckoned me inside.  As quickly as I could, I hurried inside.  A great gust of wind accompanied me, spreading a thick cloud of fine red dust onto the polished floor of the great hallway.  The hallway was about twenty feet wide and as much distance to the ceiling.  Ornate columns and friezes of intricately detailed decorations separated the walls and ceiling into panels of masterpieces.  Each masterpiece was an incredibly accomplished work of artistic expression.  These priceless masterpieces depicted the successive stages of a great civilization.  In full glory, the ages of the fortress and its inhabitants were exquisitely detailed for all who entered by this entrance.

I walked a few feet past the wide swing of the door.  Dust settled thickly around me as I stared at the greatness around me.  I was speechless and breathless as I gazed in total wonder at the great works of lifetimes being so casually presented.  My eyes drank in the wonders of liquid colors so bright and fresh as the day they were first painted countless centuries ago.  Some scenes depicted the construction of the first of the great red rock walls.  Other scenes were literal photographs of auspicious occasions and hours of glory that attended the presence of the great Red Rock Fortress.  Scene after scene, each separated within its own particularly ornate panel, stretched full length of the great hallway before me.

The relentless wind continued howling while it deposited fresh red sand in a thick drift by the massive door.  Red dust and sand filled the air near the main entrance in a great growing cloud that filled my eyes and made breathing almost impossible.  I became concerned about the still opened door.  I turned to see the squat little being struggling against the almost immobile mass of the door.  Sand had swirled up against the outer side of the door to prevent it from closing completely.  The little being somehow sensed this and moved to deal with the drift of red sand at the base of the door.  A particularly strong gust of wind caught the being, pushed against him enough that his footing failed to support him.  He crashed down to the floor.  The wind continued pile sand up against the massive door and the little being even as he lay in the half open entrance.

I stood for long moments, staring at the supine form of the little being while I gathered my strength.  As soon as I was able, I made my way to the still figure laying across the entrance to the great hallway.  I bent down to touch the still figure, questioning the being if he was hurt or if there was something I could do to help him.  I tried to life one of his arms but it was just too heavy for me to move.  After a few minutes, the little being seemed to revive.  He lay still for a few minutes as he talked to me.  He told me that he needed time to renew his resources before he would attempt to stand.  I stood on the windward side of him to give him some shelter from the wind and to scoop away the red sand that was drifting up against him.

The little being and I talked about ourselves as we waited for his resources to build.  He was of an old race of people from a faraway planet.  His time on his own home world was very long ago.  He told me about some of the things he did in his life.  When he had grown up enough to leave his family, he had worked in a camp at cutting down large growths of something I could not pronounce or remember.  The growths that were cut down were used in the construction of the massive door.  I related this fact to trees, and described the trees of my own home world.  Trees were something he was not familiar with, but he seemed to understand that we were not so different in our descriptions of similar things.

The little being then told me more of his life.  He described how one day, he was approached by a tall being in a hooded robe.  The tall being asked many questions and tested him about various things.  When all was said and done, the tall being left as mysteriously as he had appeared.  A few years later, the little being found himself in a dismal state of affairs.  He was out of work and had nothing to do for himself.  Once more the tall being appeared, this time there was an offer of steady work and reasonable food.  The little being accepted the offer and found himself being the custodian of the main entrance to the Red Rock Fortress.  The little being was near the end of his life and he counted every day as possibly being the last day of his life.  He had remembered that the previous custodian had lived to an extended old age before being replaced.  Now, the little being was considering the same for himself.  Perhaps I would be the one to replace him at his duties.  I assured him that I had no such intention of becoming a custodian.  He seemed to smile at my denial.

The little being had great difficulty in sitting up.  It took far more reserves of his inner strength than he had supposed.  I kept him sheltered from the direct blast of the wind as much as I could with my own body.  I had to keep scooping red sand away from his windward side.  A short time later, I helped him as best I could to stand upright.  The pair of us began to push the massive door.  I would clear some of the drifting sand away from the swing of the door.  Then, I would rush around the massive door to add what effort I could to the closing of it.  It was a very difficult struggle to move the door an inch or so at a time.  Gradually, the entrance shrunk by our combined efforts.

The great door boomed in rock-based vibrations as it slid and locked into closed position.  The vibrations it had caused were transmitted through the base red rock of the floor to my feet.  I felt, rather than heard the closing of the massive door.  A few moments later, the little being was at my side, gesturing that I should follow him.  I protested moving at all. I was so completely spent and exhausted beyond anything I had ever endured in my life before now.

I stood stock still while the thick red dust settled around me.  I was too tired to do anything but stand.  I tried to explain my fatigue to the little being who was so insistent that I follow him.  I looked around me, gasping breaths of clearing air, getting my senses conditioned to the unusual lighting that seemed to highlight the wonders of the walls in exquisite relief.  Thus stopped in complete awe, I rested in the standing position.  My legs slowly gave way and I was soon sitting cross-legged on the floor.  My arms were out stretched, resting on my knees.  My hands were drooped downwards to the floor.  My back bowed and my head drooped to rest my chin on my chest.  My mind reeled in mental confusion.

My breath slowed considerably as my body relaxed.  My mind became accustomed to my surroundings a bit more.  The little being somehow understood that I was in difficulty, being as exhausted as I was.  Patiently, silently, he waited until I would being to move again.  Meanwhile, my gaze wandered from one wall panel to the next.  The little being watched me closely, noting the tired movements of my eyes and counting my shallow breaths.

At some point, he decided that I had rested enough to continue.  At that decision, he reached out and clasped my right hand firmly in his.  I tried to pull my hand away, but his grip was more than powerful enough to maintain his grip.  I felt his hand, cool and hard as stone, begin to gently pull me in the direction he wanted me to go.  I knew it was futile to resist his intentions as I was gently pulled up to a wobbling standing position.  Still, the steady even pressure on my right hand continued as if my weight had been so insignificant to the effort being applied by that singular arm of strength.

I dropped my head as I began to step out in behind my little guide.  It was only then that I saw the totally amazing details etched into the polished surface of the red rock floor.  Great designs circled and swirled in minute detail across the whole of the polished surface.  My eyes fixed at one point on the floor.  My feet stopped dead in their tracks of dust on the priceless floor.  My guide, not knowing of my sudden distraction, kept moving while I did not.  All at once, I was unbalanced and fell over.

The little being did not realize that I was fallen and that he was dragging me through the dust on the polished floor.  He simply kept moving along at his own pace for a short distance.  In desperation, I shouted at him to stop.  Disturbed by the echoes of my little voice echoing in the great hallway, he turned slightly to quiet me.  Only then did he realize that I was not obediently following him as he had intended.  Once more, he stopped to wait for me.

I laid in the red dust on the floor for about fifteen minutes.  My eyes were closed to the dust still settling out of the air in the great hallway.  My tired body recovered most of its strength in that time.  Feeling rested, I opened my eyes and sat up.  Only then did I see the amount of red sand and dust covering the floor from the opening of the massive door.  The fine red dust had settled onto the details of the walls, added a natural red hue to everything in the great hallway.  I was dismayed at the thought of all of the cleaning that would be necessary because of the entrance of my insignificant self by this most noble entrance.

I made a big show of the effort of getting to my feet.  I struggled to about half way to a standing position.  I made the gesture of slipping my foot out in the dust on the floor.  Almost falling but catching myself in time, I raised myself up to my full height.  I stood a full head higher than my little guide.  I calmly looked him in the eye and began a serious complaint about the presence of the red dust in the hallway.  He seemed to show no concern about the presence of the red dust, but I knew he fully understood what I was saying.

I continued on with my complaint about the red dust.  It was my intention to imply that if I had caused it to be present, then I should be the one to clean up the mess I had unwittingly created.  And, further, I wasn’t about to leave any kind of mess lying around after myself.  The little being considered the implications of my little tirade.  It was something that was entirely unexpected from anyone who had entered the fortress by this particular entrance.  What made the situation worse was the fact that I was still at the limit of physical exhaustion, without food or drink to replenish myself.

The little being stood resolutely before me.  I was to obey by following him along the length of the great hallway.  I stubbornly held my position, folded my arms across my chest and waited.  He seemed to understand that I was determined to see the red dust removed from the hallway.  With that, he quickly left.

The short little being returned with a large broom in hand.  He went about half way along the great hallway towards me before he stopped.  He began to sweep the red dust along the highly polished floor.  I considered what he was doing for a moment before I decided there was something else to do with the broom first before sweeping the floor.  I walked over to him and took a grip on the broom handle.  Without saying anything, I wrestled the broom out of his grip.  A surprisingly deep, guttural protest reverberated from the chest of the little being.  Nonetheless, he released his grip on the broom to my weaker, but obviously commanding insistence.

I took the broom to the nearest wall and reached up as high as I could with it.  I began to sweep dust from the relief frescoes and detailed surfaces of the wall.  I swept an entire wall panel clear of red dust before I tired enough to stop and rest.  The little being came over, took the broom and began sweeping from where I left off.  Slowly, the two of us carefully swept the walls of the great hallway.  Then, we took turns at sweeping the etched and polished floor.  The result of our combined efforts was a large pile of red sand and dust heaped up near the massive door.

I was thinking about the effort of opening the massive door and the blast of wind that would negate our efforts of cleaning.  I stood thinking about this when the little being produced a small kind of shovel.  He scooped up a good amount with the little shovel and walked to the massive door.  Then something happened that I had not expected.  A little square panel in the massive door opened briefly as the shovel full of red dust was thrust through it.  The little shovel was extracted and the little panel into the massive door snapped shut.  Oh, I thought, that was easy enough.  It wasn’t too long before the entire pile of red sand and dust had been ejected through the little panel in the door.

Our cleanup of the main entrance and the great hallway done, I followed the little being away from the massive door.  We left the majesty of the great hallway and entered the next room.  This huge, vaulted ceiling chamber was even more impressive than the great hallway.  The walls were highly ornate.  Furnishings were opulently colored, soft covered chairs, couches, highly detailed tables, and shelves.  On the shelves were decorative books of interesting shapes and sizes.  The little being indicated that I was to wait here for another being to come to me.  I picked a large couch and stretched down onto it.  I immediately fell asleep.

I awoke at the prodding of the squat little being.  He pointed out food and drink that had been brought to revive me.  I was grateful for the meager fare for which I had been aroused.  I tried to sip the liquid first.  It was very bitter and hard to swallow.  At least it wet my lips.  The food was a bread-like loaf that was very hard to chew.  I gave up on both the liquid and bread as being unsuitable for me to eat.  I lay back down on the couch and drifted off to sleep once more.

Sleep was not something I should have allowed myself despite my physical exhaustion.  Sleep only served to slow my body processes.  In this state, the resetting of my physical self could only proceed at the rate determined by my metabolism.  But, this was not the only reason I should have stayed awake and aware.  I began a dream of a nightmarish sort.

My dream started with my awareness of my head and upper portions of my torso.  My awareness in the dream was being questioned and tested by other beings and intelligences.  It was a very intense and precise kind of questioning that was being directed at me.  I thought about the answers to those individual statements and questions in a manner that was as objectively mute of emotion or reaction as I could muster.  My dream of the ‘grin and bear it’ circumstances continued.

The lines of reasoning of the questions being asked began to take a different slant.  In the lines of reasoning, my failure to answer and react accordingly was taken to imply that I was holding something back from the inquisitors.  They became impatient and angry with me.  I could only keep up my insistence that I was not holding anything back and that I was not any kind of agent or spy.  My inquisitors pounced upon my denials with a vengeance.

One moment, I was sitting in a heavy sort of chair, confined by unusual bonds at my extremities.  The next moment, my awareness was bathed in terrific heat and flames.  The firestorm swirled around me as I sat passively on the chair.  My vision went out of focus.  Cracks appeared and darkened.  My sight simply faded to black.  The next moment I was aware of my self as I sat in the chair as the heat and flames increased around me.  I looked passively down at about a forty-five degree angle at myself.  I watched as my singed, my exposed skin wrinkled red and darkened into black.  My clothes were consumed and my skin and flesh began dropping away from my form.  My face distorted and my mouth opened.  I could see my tongue curl up into a long tube that spit a stream of blue, red and yellow flames.  My body started to lean forward into collapse as my awareness fled.

I awoke and sat up, rigidly holding onto the couch with both hands.  Sweat streamed from my face and body to soak my clothes.  It took me a few moments to recognize that my dream had ended and that I was sitting safe and sound on the couch in the waiting room.  And, as frighteningly real as my dream had been, I could not possibly allow myself to react to the connecting strings of images.  The vivid dream had only been a test of some sort that I could not possibly fail.

I sat trying to clear my senses to the room around me.  I looked at the intricate details of the wall above and behind the large couch I was resting on.  Long moments of my attention were devoted to the study of the intricately detailed patterns within the beautifully frescoed panels bearing ancient masterpieces of ages past.  I was agog with the splendor and glory depicted in inspired shades.  My eyes slowly traveled from one wall panel to the next until I was looking at the wall panels facing me.  Only then did I become more aware of the rest of the room.  There were two beings standing in the middle of the room.

The two beings were facing each other, intently conversing in low tones.  It was immediately apparent to me that I was the subject of their intent conversation.  The little being who had been my guide thus far, was arguing politely, respectfully, in muted tones to the taller and more enigmatic being draped in a thick hooded cloak.  From what I could understand of the gist of the conversation, it was a matter of serious concern that I had been found asleep on the large couch in the waiting room.

The little being was stating facts as clearly as he could.  He described my appearance at the entrance to the Red Rock Fortress.  I was exhausted both physically and mentally to the point that I could not continue further.  Having rested briefly, I had been offered the daily meal of the little being, but I could not do more than taste the fare.  I was obviously sand and wind burned, and dehydrated to the point where my existence was in danger.  Yet, somehow I had found the reserves of strength to continue at a slow pace along the great hallway.

The tall being noted the fact that I had endured such extremes to make my way to the Red Rock Fortress.  And, in so doing, I had passed numerous tests of capabilities and endurance that separated the truly remarkable and gifted beings who could become initiates or members of the community that inhabited the Red Rock Fortress under a purple sky.

The conversation of the two beings stopped at the moment I seemed to have regained my own awareness.  I accepted the fact that the two beings were highly telepathic and capable in many ways that I could not perceive.  I thought about this realization of mine until I was interrupted by the directly intense questioning of the tall being.  I thought about the intensity and import of the questions directed at me and as quickly dismissed the thoughts from my mind.  The tall being assumed that I was lazy by my non-communicativeness.  I replied that definitely I was not lazy, nor was I about to be pushed beyond my personal limits as I had just been.

My anger rose as I considered the implications and ramifications of the questioning that had been directed to me by the tall being.  I disliked the attitude and intonations of the mind behind the questions.  This tall being was considering me to be a lesser wanderer and was in the process of chastising me for my little adventure to this sanctuary of all places.  My anger grew, gave me the strength to stand up tall and move directly at the tall being.  I took two steps toward the two beings standing in the middle of the room.  I stopped and began to realize the extent of my anger.

My anger was strong enough to invoke an energy that I was completely unfamiliar with.  The room flashed as all colors fled.  Everything became pure white, blank forms barely outlined the room and its contents.  The tall being became represented by a white star of energy hovering about six feet from the floor.  The little being who had been my guide was seen as only a white shadow among the white shadow forms of the room.  The white star of energy and I began communicating at the speed of thoughts.  We shared information of interest and import as we sped through our thoughts.  Libraries of information passed between us as the little being backed away from our presence.  All the while, the little being was muttering apologies to the effect that he certainly didn’t know who or what I was when he first found me at the door of the main entrance.

I was aware that I had created the white energy that filled the room and had transformed the appearance in my perceptions of the two beings.  I also knew that somehow, I was maintaining the flow of that white energy.  I didn’t know how or why I was creating the white energy, only that it was significant in its effect upon the being that was overly intent upon questioning me.  What was important to me at the moment was the fact that the questioning had represented some kind o f threat or attack.  And, I was allowed to defend myself in whatever circumstances I might have found myself.  The white energy was a product of my combined capabilities that I was able to defend myself with.

The information flow between the tall being and myself had continued for a considerable time at the speed of thought while in reality, only a few seconds had passed.  During that time, I had learned all I wanted to know about the tall being, his position and place in the Red Rock Fortress, and of a considerable history of the Red Rock Fortress itself.  I was able to see the background history of the magnificent masterpieces adorning the walls and halls of the main entrance to the Red Rock Fortress where time seemed endless.

My anger diminished slowly as I familiarized myself with my surroundings.  At the moment that I realized that I had regained my own personal composure, the tall being interrupted my thoughts to note the fact.  He asked if I could now dispense with the protective white light.  I humbly considered how to stop the flow of energy and it was a short time later that the light in the room returned to normal.

The tall being renewed his questioning of me, in more acceptable and subtle tones.  I tried to answer the questions with as much consideration and respect as I could muster for the occasion.  He wanted to know if I was here on a specific quest.  I was not, as far as I knew.  He wanted to know if I were here to replace anyone in particular.  Again, I was not, as far as I knew.  He wanted to know if I was considering the possibility of becoming an initiate, or possibly one of the staff.  I replied once more that I had no specific purpose unless I determined that for myself.  The tall being was content to muse my answers for a long moment.  With finality, he said that I should be registered in the records as having been there in the first place.  Whatever else I might do while I was there would be entirely up to me to decide.  I agreed with that.

The tall being walked around me to the small doorway in the very thick wall at the end of the large waiting room.  He stopped in the doorway to make a motion for me to follow.  I obliged by catching up as quickly as I could.  I entered a small room off to the left of the main waiting room.  It was a small enough room to begin with, but a very large desk filled the center half of it even though it was butted up tightly against the far wall.

On the desktop, there was the golden orb on its base.  There was also a large crystal ball and a smaller crystal ball.  The large crystal ball was about five inches in diameter and the smaller one was only about two and a half inches in diameter.  There was also a ruler about 14 inches long and about two inches wide and about one eighth of an inch thick.  It had gradient marks along one edge and flowing characters along the length of it beneath the marks.  There were different kinds of ‘pens’ and pencils off to one side of the desktop.  There were three drawers to the desk itself on the right hand side.  The top drawer was wide and shallow for mostly the writing instruments.  The next drawer was the size of a piece of paper lying on its side.  The third drawer was for folders that were filed into it.

The desk and its accompanying chair were made of the same dark brown, almost black material.  The chair had a round back to it that had five struts to it each was about three inches square. The back of the chair came around and down to form armrests.  The seat of the chair was slightly shaped and designed for a very large person.  Even so, it looked comfortable enough to sit in for long periods of time.

It seemed to me that as you walked into the room, the desk sat on the left in the middle of the small room.  Directly opposite the door was a small, deep window centered on that wall.  I didn’t think that there were any pictures on the walls, and there may have been a large filing cabinet behind the door on the left as you entered.  It didn’t seem that the room was much larger than eight feet by eight feet square.  In fact, the room was considerably smaller than the hallway outside.

The tall being made his way with familiarity to the large chair behind the huge desk.  Ungracefully, he seated himself and arranged his robe slightly for his own comfort.  Then, with almost a sigh, he began to clear an area in the clutter on the desk before him.  With practiced ease, he reached down into a drawer and withdrew a parchment like sheet of paper.  The paper fluttered to rest smoothly on the desk as his hand searched out the desired pen for his purposes of the moment.  Quickly, silently, characters scripted in black and gold were flowing onto the unusual sheet of paper.  After a few minutes of steady writing, the tall being stopped writing to ask a few more pertinent questions before resuming this particular entry into his records.

A plain sheet of paper replaced the first as the tall being continued with his writing.  The tall being’s questioning became more specific in such a way that my answers were appropriately more than the single sentence answers I had been giving thus far.  Briefly, he merely formalized and verified the communication of thoughts we had earlier.  When he had finished his task of writing, he stopped briefly to examine his work.  Satisfied by his efforts, he continued to talk to me about things of interest in a more casual manner.

One of the things that had intrigued me was the entrance to the Red Rock Fortress.  Why had such a little trail along the cliff led to one of the most glorious entrances to any monumental edifice that I had ever seen.  The simple fact was that long ago, there had been a wide plateau on which the Red Rock Fortress had been built.  Over eons, the plateau had been eroded away so that all that remained was the narrow ledge at the base of the fortress itself.  That dangerously narrow ledge was all that remained of great walkways over which legions had paraded through the centuries to that primary access point of the Red Rock Fortress.

As for the true name of the Red Rock Fortress, it was a series of sibilant sounds that I could not possibly pronounce.  The fortress had originally been designed as a citadel of learning.  But, there had been times when the massive walls had been defended against more than the onslaught of passing time.  And, there could be the probability of having to defend the massive walls in the future.  But, those events of the future were too remote in time to be accurately estimated.

The tall being seated behind his desk, took the time to verbalize his communication with me.  Somehow, I was able to understand what was being said to the point that I thought he was conversing with me in my own native language.  Whether this was a fact or not, I had not considered before because of the intent and flow of the conversation.  Events up until this point were simply a series of events to which I reactively interacted.  But, an extraordinary thing began to happen.  The tall being sped up his communication with me.  As I had to think faster and respond faster, he increased the speed of his communications.

The flow of questions and answers swirled in my mind.  It became difficult for me to keep up with the forming of words flowing at a great rate from my mouth.  My facial muscles were fibrillating at the rate of speed needed to form the words flowing from my mouth.  I began to feel pain as my facial muscles contorted in their tasks.  Pain increased to become an agony that I couldn’t ignore.  Yet, I continued to force myself to use verbal responses at the prompting of the tall being.

The tall being sat still for a moment.  He stared at me as my face relaxed back into its more usual outlines.  After some thought, he stated that I was a very stubborn kind of being. Being stubborn was not a bad thing, providing that there were circumstances that lent to the usefulness of such a trait.  But, stubbornness often was accompanied by laziness.  I wouldn’t happen to be lazy, would I?  I tried to respond to the insinuation, but my mouth failed to form any words.  All that came out of my mouth was a partially formed grunt.

My mind squirreled away inside my head.  I reeled at the fact that I could no longer talk.  My face was a blazing agony of pain that could not be made to suffer any more than it was already.  It was all I could do to ignore the force of pain that was being inflicted upon my awareness. But, the pain was too great to allow being ignored.  I sagged visibly with the realization that I was now unable to continue to communicate in the manner that I had so long taken for granted.

The hooded being on the other side of the desk sat patiently, watching me in my desperate struggle to communicate.  With finality, he admonished me for being so stupidly stubborn.  I was foolish to try so hard at continuing ineffectively with so great an effort while there was such an easier way to do the same thing.  The tall hooded being rose to his full height, looming over me as if I were so insignificant.

I became frightened, threatened by the intimidating presence of the hooded being.  I felt smothered in mental distractions as if I were being physically attacked.  I felt itching and cravings of all kinds emanating from all over my body.  I could not accept the fact that the true cause of all of my discomfitures had been emanated by the thoughts of the trusted hooded being.  As soon as I realized this fact, I became enraged.

I didn’t think of defending myself as I metabolized great amounts of energy in direct reaction to my own anger.  I didn’t control the rise of my energy levels that seemed to be measured by my own anger.  As my adrenaline level flowed, so too, did a bright white light begin to fill the cubic little room.  The brightness of the white light increased until it was a hot white incandescence that flooded all sight from the room.  The hot white energy kept increasing in brightness and temperature.

I was completely unaware of anything in the hot white light.  I only knew that all of my anger was being focused to create this kind of energy.  And, this pure form of energy was driving away and eliminating all of my physical sufferings.  I became aware of the hooded being who was now standing beside me, shaking my right shoulder violently enough to attract my awareness.  As quickly as I became aware of the hooded being beside me, the white light diminished into nothing.

I looked around me in a sort of daze.  I could see that the red sandstone walls of the room were now much darker, as if blackened by the heat of a fire.  The large desktop in front of me had suffered the same disaster.  Paper ash and smoldering objects lay on the desktop where it seemed that a great heat had been directed.  My first thought was that someone had turned a flamethrower on in the small space of the room to create this visible damage.

I blinked and stared at the sight that greeted my disbelieving eyes.  The hooded being continued to shake my shoulder a few more times before stopping.  For a few long moments we both stood still as wisps of smoke rose in the air around us.  The smell of charcoal and burnt things was so strong that I sneezed.  I gasped for breath as if there were no oxygen left in the air of the little room.  The tall hooded being beside me seemed to suffer the same way as I did.  In a rush, the being moved to the far end of the room, opened the window somehow to allow a great draft of air to rush in.

The effect of the fresh air was immediate.  Both of us were able to breathe freely once more.  Still, the smell of burnt things was so strong.  I kept sneezing at the whiffs of smoke that reached my nose.  Meanwhile, the hooded being was intent on trying to salvage anything of value from the singed desktop.  I stood still for the few minutes that the hooded being took to clear away the mess from the desktop.  All the while he kept muttering to himself in his own language.

It was an unusual thing for me to understand anything besides my own native English.  Yet, now, I was seemingly capable of understanding the nature of the conversation the hooded being was holding with himself.  For the most part, the gist of what he was going on about was the fact that never before had he had the misfortune to encounter so small and yet so deceivingly powerful little being as the one who now stood within the confines of his vaulted office.  As soon as he had finished doing what he could for the moment to clear up the mess of his desktop, the hooded being ushered me out into the great hall.

We stood in the middle of the great hall, taking in clean breaths of fresh air.  Both of us could still smell the lingering and distasteful burnt odors that clung to our clothes and in the air around us.  I stood mutely while the tall hooded being summoned the short being.  For the moment, my only concern was to get a breath of fresh air free of the lingering burnt smell.  I kept moving around trying to get free of the awful clinging smell.

A short time later, three of us were standing in the middle of the great hall, obviously suffering the same awful burnt smell.  A few curt instructions were given to the short being who listened attentively.  The short being moved slowly to the far side of the great hall.  A few motions were directed to the thick red sandstone walls.  Gusts of fresh desert air and a cloud of red dust swept through the massive walls into the great hall.  Then, the little being moved purposefully back across the highly decorative floor to the ruins of the little cubic office of the hooded being.  The little being busied himself with the task of cleaning up the disaster that had occurred.

The tall hooded being directed his concerns upon me for a few moments.  A loud crash originating in the tall being’s office echoed loudly throughout the expanse of the great hall.  This interruption of the tall hooded being’s concentration upon me resulted in his moving quickly to see what new disaster had befallen his precious little office.  I was left alone, standing in the literal gale of red dusty air that swept into the great hall.

Momentarily, I amused myself by looking around at the wondrous features of the great hall.  Off in the little office, the tall hooded being was loudly admonishing the hapless little being for one thing or another.  I became very bored and tired of waiting for the tall being to end his instructional discourse.  The one sided conversation had not been meant for me to hear, nor was it a matter to be taken lightly.  Still, I did hear the words clearly enough and bore the scathing as if I had been in the same little room instead of standing off at a safe distance.

In a kind of curiosity, I began to wander further along the length of the great hall.  I came to a second set of massive doors that were identical to the ones at the main entrance to the great hall.  I looked at those massive barriers and thought of the difficulty in moving the great door at the main entrance.  I considered the effort required to budge one of those massive doors and dismissed the thought as being beyond my capability.  Then, I noticed a small corridor leading off to the left.  This meant a smaller door of some kind.  So I went in that direction.  The little corridor only went a short distance before ending at a small door.

It was no trouble to me to be able to open that little door.  I didn’t quite know what to expect, so it was with relief that I discovered that there was a little courtyard beyond.  From this little courtyard led three alleys of sorts that passed between thick red sandstone walls.  I picked the middle alley and began to walk along it.  A short distance along that alley there was a door into one of the thick red sandstone walls.  I stopped at the door to rest.

I was so tired that I leaned against the doorway.  As I rested my weight on the door, it swung open and I fell headlong inside.  I dropped like a stone to a rough floor.  My breath was knocked out of me.  I lay on that floor in darkness while I caught my breath.  My eyes began to adjust to the low levels of light as I gasped for breath.  I heard scurrying of feet around me and gentle hands lifted me up to stand again.  I became aware of dim figures in what looked like very rough and ragged clothing.  Small featureless faces peered out from under thick hooded cloaks at me and strange clicking sounds filled my ears.  Slowly I regained my senses enough to try my own form of communication.  The language differences were beyond understanding.

I failed miserably in trying to communicate to the several beings that stood around me in the darkness of the room within the thickness of the red sandstone wall.  In desperation, I resorted to very simple sign language.  I raised my hand in greeting and said my name.  This seemed to be understood and reciprocated by similar gestures and vocal sounds denoting names of the individuals.  I was not able to mimic the sounds that my ears heard.  I thought to raise my hand slowly to my mouth and make sipping sounds.  Some sounds followed as if in understanding.  One of the beings left the room by another way.  After a few minutes that same individual returned with a sort of bowl filled with red syrup and a plate with what looked like dark brown carrots and a kind of red potato.  Gratefully, I accepted the offerings of what were the equivalent of food and water to me.

I took the offering of bowl and plate into my hands while I bowed my head and said thanks.  Everyone repeated my gesture.  I looked around the dark room for any kind of furniture.  My eyes had adjusted considerably well to the gloom of the room, enough to tell me that there was nothing to seat myself at or to sit upon.  So, I simply folded my legs and sat cross-legged on the floor where I had been standing.  My action to make myself more comfortable was as strange a behavior to the beings around me as they were in general to me.  As soon as it was clear that I hadn’t fallen for some reason, the beings moved back a bit to allow me to taste the offerings.

The red syrup liquid in the bowl was what I tasted first.  I tipped the bowl to my mouth and took a very tiny sip.  I didn’t know exactly what that stuff was and was hesitant to try it at all.  My thirst drove me to overcome my fears enough to get a tiny bit of the thick liquid into my mouth.  The taste of that red stuff was terrible.  It made me gag and choke in a desperate attempt to get the awful stuff out of my mouth.  As quickly as I could, I recovered from the experience of tasting the red syrup and set the bowl beside me.

The next thing I tasted was one of the brown carrot-like looking things on the plate.  It tasted much like a carrot although it was very woody to chew.  I swallowed a bit of the mass that I had chewed to a pulp in my mouth.  Whatever that was, it seemed to react favorably to my digestive system.  Soon, I had chewed my way through all of the brown carrots.  All that was left to try was the potato looking kind of food.  I took a bite of that and found that it was very much like potato in texture and taste.  I munched down the potato without any trouble.  The food in my stomach gave me a source of energy that I needed very much.  And, resting was also something that I was grateful to enjoy.

I thought I must have been in the dim room with the strange beings for about fifteen minutes.  I had met these people whom I took to be friendly enough for their unfamiliarity.  They had offered me sustenance that proved acceptable enough, and we had tried to communicate as best we could manage to each other.  I felt safe and comforted in that dim surrounding.  So, it was no surprise for me to doze off into a nap.

A persistent prodding on my right shoulder woke me up from a deep sleep.  The tall hooded being was standing over me while the friendly beings I had met were huddled at the far end of the dark room.  As I rose to my feet, the tall hooded being admonished me in my own language for invading the home of one of the red fortress dwellers.  Worse still was that I had consumed a great amount of the precious and scarce food supply.  How lazy I must be to gorge myself and then to sleep on the floor of poor dweller’s entrance chamber.  I must have come from a very rich and lush world to eat so much food that was scarce and hard-won from this desolate world.

With as much humility as I could muster, I apologized for my ignorance of the local customs and conditions.  I added that had I realized how much of a trouble I had been, I would have been better to stay at home.  My curiosity and other capabilities that had allowed me to be here were not developed well enough for me to have realized absolutely everything about what I was getting into.  As it was, I was only making the best of every situation.  My explanation seemed to settle the hostility of the tall hooded being.  As soon as I felt that the hooded being was temporarily placated, I turned to my hosts and thanked them for their most generous hospitality.  I bowed to them and started to back my way out of the dim room.  The tall hooded being followed me outside.

Once outside, the tall hooded being questioned me very carefully about my intentions of being within the walls of the red sandstone fortress.  To the best of my ability I answered as well as I could to the barrage of questions.  To my knowledge, I had no idea of how I came to be there, or of why I was going through this particular experience.  All I could think was that somehow this experience would be significant to me and that I must go through this as well as I could.  I had no intention of harming anyone, or of altering anything under any circumstance.  All I could do was what to behave as I had already.  For me to do anything differently was something that I considered incomprehensible.

The tall hooded being stood for a short time, considering the significance of my answers.  He was at a loss to rationalize my presence.  The beings, who had ever managed to journey to the red sandstone fortress, were exceptionally well-developed and capable individuals who had wandered as students in search of greater knowledge.  I was certainly such a being.  So, would I want to spend the rest of my life in this monumental place?

I was shocked to consider such a question.  I had no thought of leaving my real home for any other sort of place to live, even such an enigmatic place such as this one.  I could not consider leaving neither my home nor my family behind for any world other than my own.  So, I would be happy to visit any place, although I could not ever intend to stay wherever I visited.

The tall hooded being thanked me for my honest intent, as if knowing how difficult it was for me to answer such questions.  The wind blew fine red dust along the alley.  The force of the wind was strong enough to cause the thick material of the tall being’s hooded robe to flutter thinly.  I had to brace myself by putting my hand out to the red sandstone wall.  The tall hooded being grasped my wrist firmly and began to lead me further along the alley.

The maze of the interior of the red sandstone fortress was intentionally designed to confuse newcomers.  I was just such a newcomer and was soon confused by the twists and turns that I made as I followed the tall hooded being as quickly as I could.  Nor could I tell just how far I had walked because of the hurried pace that covered ground at an amazing rate.  It was all I could do to keep my guide in sight.

The tall hooded being stopped abruptly against one of the monolithic red sandstone walls.  He stood there looking as peaceful as a statue for the long moments it took me to huff and puff my way to him.  I was almost completely exhausted and my breath was coming in short gasps.  The tall hooded being continued to stand patiently until my breathing slowed considerably.  Only then did the tall hooded begin to talk to me.

The tall hooded being summed up what he had learned of me.  I was an unusual visitor to the red sandstone fortress, and certainly the most enigmatic and powerful being to have walked freely within the fortress walls.  For all of that, I was an amicable sort who would be welcome again if ever my travels led to this austere and Spartan place.  The tall hooded being turned to open a small door in the massive outer wall.  A gust of red dust filled the air as wind blew through the opening.

I braced myself against the wind as red grit found its way into my mouth.  I raised my hand to my face in a futile gesture of self-protection.  I mumbled a goodbye of sorts through the muffling of my fingers.  My voice trailed off in the wind as the door slammed shut.  I turned my back to the closed door and braced myself in the onslaught of the red dust laden blast.  For long moments I fumbled to wrap my neck and face with the coarsely thick material of my scarf.  Thus prepared for my journey, I set off in a resolute frame of mind.

The wind blew against me with enough force to considerably shorten every step I took.  It was a battle of sheer determination to place one foot ahead of the other.  More than a few times, one foot did not gain distance past its companion.  This was at a time when I was leaning as much as I dared.  The thought raced through my mind that sometimes it is an accomplishment to stand still, let alone gain in certain situations.  As much as I could consider this moment to be one of those situations, I could not rest or be deterred from continuing on my present journey.

The simple task of placing one foot in front of the other was all I could physically manage.  My mental determination and resolve to concentrate upon my simple task of walking was something that was essential despite high energy and resource consumption rates.  My body was expending all of the energy it could develop as quickly as each short step was taken.  It was inevitable that at some point soon, I would collapse from exhaustion.

I kept forcing myself to take those difficult steps until I stumbled and fell.  I didn’t fall flat, thanks to the force of the wind against me.  Instead I slouched down into a crouch.  The force of the wind lessened against me.  I stayed in that very uncomfortable position to rest.  I couldn’t dare to sprawl out on the ground for fear of falling asleep.  I couldn’t risk sleeping when exposed to the elements as I was.

Having spent as much time to rest as I dared, I rose to continue.  With the full onslaught of the wind against my body, I lost hard won distance.  I felt that should I outstretch my arms, I would fly like a bird.  As tired as I was, I snickered at the thought of what a strange bird I would make in this desolation.  Even so, I began to regain my lost steps.  I must have stopped to rest seventeen times before I regained the point of origin in this part of my experience.

I didn’t know exactly when I had reached the point of origin, my momentary destination.  I only knew that the force of the wind against me had ceased.  Grit of red dust covered me, continued to fall from the air around me.  I stood still, surprised by the fact that I wasn’t in the wind anymore.  I waited for the air to clear before I began to carefully unwrap myself.  Once again, dust rose up at every movement I made.  I coughed four times to clear my throat and mouth enough to take a breath.  My coughing caused me to shake even more dust into the air.

Red dust covered the floor I was standing on.  It clung to the previously spotless white of the walls around me.  As tired as I was, I slowly stripped off all of the garments wrapping my body.  I stood beside the pile of dirty red clothing for a few moments more.  A nozzle in the center of the ceiling began to spray lukewarm water as if it were a fire sprinkler.  The nozzle began to rotate slowly, sluicing all of the red dust into the standing water on the floor.  The spraying continued until both the room I was in and myself, was completely washed.  The spray of water stopped when I had been completely cleaned.  The thick clothes I had been wearing floated in the ankle deep red water.  An ovoid door opened about a foot above the surface of the red water long enough for me to escape before the contents of the little room were disposed of.

The coolness of the air made me shiver.  Shaking droplets of liquid fell slowly from me to the floor.  I had taken two steps from the ovoid door and stood still as a puddle formed on the white smoothness under my bare feet.  Clothes were brought to me and I dressed hurriedly.  A container of nutrients appeared and was offered to me.  With a sigh, I began to renew and replace my primary physical resources.  At the same time, I summarized and reviewed the events of my experience as I walked along to a room where there was a bed.  I finished my task of confirming my summary as I lay down to sleep.

When I awoke, I was completely healed and refreshed from the effects of my experience.  I rose up from the bed and was greeted by Sphere.  Sphere informed me that I had been in serious circumstances while I had been off on my visit.  My body required considerable repair to return it to its previous values and capabilities.  Sphere stated that in future, more care would be taken in monitoring my physical and mental condition.  I could only agree that I had endured certain hardships, while not knowing just how perilously close to my physical limits I had been.  Fortunately, I had sufficient time to recover during the return trip to home.

There was a time that I remember being on one of the ships for a protracted trip through space.  It was a routine mission to deliver supplies and otherwise maintain a particularly distant station.  There were no extenuating circumstances or dangers to speak of.  It was merely a mission that had to be completed, as it had been countless times before.

In the cold dark reaches of space there are no resources or supplies other than what is brought along in the ship’s stores.  The crew were not inconvenienced in any way by the lengthy stay onboard the ship.  They had ample supplies of water and some sort of food tablet that was called rations.  To the usual crew of the ship, a meal was a small container of water to chase down two large white tablets.  Their bodily needs were met by the nutritional elements and minerals contained in the large white tablets.  The crew thrived quite well on their limited and palateless rations.

The mission was underway for some time before I became hungry and thirsty.  I went to the water dispenser and drank enough water to quench my thirst.  I then went to the storage locker that held the supply of large white tablets.  Without too much concern, I opened two packets of the white tablets.  In a moment, four white tablets were resting in my mouth.  I chewed the tablets that tasted like chalk to me.  I swallowed the masticated mess and washed the taste out of my mouth with more water.

It wasn’t too long before I felt sleepy and very tired.  I decided to lie down for a nap on a sort of cot that folded down from one of the walls at the back of the ship.  The crew of the ship went about their duties as they did, not noticing much about me.  I was merely a passenger that had little to do for the duration of the mission.  I didn’t sleep very well, or for very long.

I awoke to great pains in my stomach.  I was very weak and disoriented.  When I tried to stand up from the cot, I simply fell over.  While in that prone position, my stomach relieved itself of unwanted contents.  I was very sick and my stomach was telling me of that fact.  One of the crew noticed my distress and tried to help me.

The nameless crewmember cleaned up the mess on the floor I had made.  Then, I was given water to drink.  The water seeped down into my stomach to dilute whatever was there.  It swished around a few times before being discharged back the way it had come.  I made another mess on the floor.  I had to clean out my stomach three times before it settled down enough to hold water.  I sank back down onto the cot I had been resting on.

I thought about my circumstances as I lay on the cot.  I was expected to go on a very long mission as an observer.  As far as I knew, there was a limited supply of water and rations available in the ship’s stores.  While the crew of the ship was adequately supplied, I was not.  Meanwhile, the crewmember informed me that I had exceeded my designated water consumption for the duration of the mission.

That information came as a shock to me.  I couldn’t believe what I had heard.  The fact that I had already exceeded my ration of water for the duration of the mission was confirmed.  I lay on the cot in great distress.  My mind reeled with the effects of the white tablets I had ingested.  Most of those nutrients were harmless enough.  The undesirable nutrients had been diluted with water.  The residual negative nutrients were having a serious effect upon me.  I would not be able to have any more water to sustain myself.

I lay in a stupor for a long time.  It was beyond me to rise up off the cot for any reason.  My stomach churned the whole time, partly because of remaining effects of the white tablets and partly because I was beginning to feel so hungry.  I hadn’t eaten for some time and my body was crying out for replenishment.  Unfortunately for me, there was nothing that could or would be done for me.

The crew of the ship went on about their duties as usual.  There was nothing to be done for me in any way.  It was not a consideration that I would be spared any effort or resources.  I was simply a messy and stinky being that no one wanted to do anything about as long as I remained out of the way and on the cot.

The negative effects of the white tablets began to wear off.  As I regained some semblance of my former self, I began to think about my circumstances.  I did want to be a part of this mission in the capacity of observer.  I did use my priority status to insert myself into the ship’s crew list.  I did know that the mission would be lengthy.  I didn’t know that the ship was ill equipped for my presence onboard during the lengthy mission.  I didn’t know that I had so easily put myself into a very bad circumstance.

The thought kept running through my mind.  I was on a ship that would not be able to support me for the duration of the mission.  It was known that oxygen was a vital resource that had to be supplied for me.  Extra supplies of oxygen were onboard the ship.  Food and water had not been a consideration at all.  The crew that normally carried out the routine maintenance mission had been doing so for a long time.  They had not suffered any deprivations or encountered any dangers along the way.  I was a different story altogether.

It was a long time before I was able to rise up off the cot.  I staggered a bit as I made my way to the front of the ship.  The captain of the ship was busy at doing something or other and ignored my presence.  I went to one of the secondary control terminals.  It took me a bit of time to configure seating and arrangement of the control panel.  Having done that, I accessed the main communications link.

My first interactive communication message was to the mission control center.  I stated that I was one of the crew onboard a ship scheduled to do a maintenance mission.  As one of the crew, I was supposed to be supplied with essentials for my survival for the duration of the mission.  Apparently such was not the case.  My circumstances were critical and I was in danger of failing because of lack of essential resources.  My physical failure would be irreparable.  My physical failure would be proof of the denial of essential preparation and supplies during an ongoing mission.  The onus of guilt would rest with mission control in allowing such circumstances to occur in the first place.

The mission control communication was very pointedly blunt.  There is nothing that can be done at present about the circumstances that you placed yourself in.  I replied that I did not join the mission in order to commit suicide.  Whatever facts about the mission could easily be viewed as complicity and responsibility in the physical failure of one of the assigned crewmembers of a ship on a duly authorized mission.  The alternative would be that my physical failure would result in the release of poisonous gasses that would poison the crew.  It would be far more deadly than my presently stinking condition that would prevent the present mission from being completed to expectation.

The reply from mission control was a question.  Do you have any suggestions to solve the problem that now faces the mission?  And, if so, what do you propose?

I propose that you get relief supplies out to this ship as quickly as possible.  I need enough supplies to complete this mission as an assigned member of the ship’s crew.  I will need such minerals and vitamins as necessary to maintain my physical form.  I will also need an adequate supply of water for my personal needs.  If my needs are not met, my physical failure will be the responsibility of mission control and the appropriate levels of command above mission control.

My communications with mission control ended.  I thought of doing a lot of things, but decided that it would be best to just go back to the cot and lay down.  The more I rested, the more I would be able to endure the inevitable wait for relief supplies, if they were to come at all.  I could only hope that my communication to mission control was having an effect and resulting in some kind of action on my behalf.

Mission control was very upset at finding out that I was a crewmember on a ship without adequate supplies on a protracted mission.  It was an unthinkable circumstance for me to be in.  Any other being would have been simply forgotten about and left to the dire fate.  I was not so easily ignored and I would certainly not be forgotten.  Something had to be planned for my rescue in a timely manner.

A missile is the fastest craft available.  It was decided that a missile could be deployed to rendezvous with the ship and transfer the essentials that I required.  A quick determination resulted in a long list of supplies.  Those supplies were loaded along with a quantity of water into a missile.  The missile was sent off to meet up with the ship.  All that could be done for me in my present circumstances was being done.  I could only hope that I would survive until the vital supplies reached me.

I rested on the cot and conserved myself as much as I could.  Time passed slowly by while the missile crossed the distance to the ship.  The crew, knowing that relief supplies were on the way, consented to my having a cup ration of water once every activity cycle.  That was enough to barely sustain me until the relief missile arrived.
The missile arrived at the rendezvous and attached itself to the ship exactly as scheduled.  The supplies were loaded into the ship by the unwilling efforts of the crew.  By this time, of course, I was inert and barely surviving.  It was a great relief for the crew to have the necessary supplies to revive me.  I drank water and ate food for the first time since the beginning of the mission.  I revived slowly from my ordeal of starving.

The maintenance mission went on as scheduled.  The extra mass of the missile attached to the underside of the ship made little difference.  My presence onboard the ship was sufferably endured by the crew.  As long as I didn’t make any more messes as I had done, they would not complain about my presence.  The mission went on to completion.

The presence of my being on a maintenance mission was a great surprise.  When it was found out that I had been on a number of other maintenance missions without causing any great concern, the matter was investigated further.  As a direct result of that investigation, a number of recommendations were made for subsequent maintenance missions.

Something of a greater concern was the fact that the crew of the ship had been supplied with adequate essentials for the duration of the mission.  The white tablets of nutrition had been specifically prepared with the vital needs of the crew in mind.  There were no such preparations for any other sort of life form that might possibly accompany the usual crew of a ship.  Thus raised the topic of the white tablets.

The white tablets were tailored to the needs of the crew of each ship.  Each ship was crewed by beings that could easily survive on the nutrition supplied by the white tablets.  An automated process controlled the constituent combining of the ingredients for the formation of the white tablets.  The white tablets were packaged in a sort of foil wrap to preserve and keep sterilization.

There were two major concerns about the white tablets.  The first concern was that the white tablets were tailor made specifically for one kind of being only.  Any other kind of life form would not be able to survive by eating the white tablets.  The other concern was that only enough white tablets would be available for each duly designated crewmember on each specific mission.  Stockpiling of the white tablets was forbidden to prevent any long-term escape attempts.  There is much that can be said that led to the evolution of the circumstances whereby the crews of the ships were so dependent upon their specifically limited food supply.

I revived quickly enough.  I had water and a great number of tinned foods available.  I didn’t have a can opener, so I resorted to having the tops of cans lasered off.  Most of the canned food was eaten straight out of the can.  I usually didn’t bother to warm the contents.  It took some doing, but I managed to get some semblance of a diet going for myself.

The mission went on as it was intended to do.  The ship arrived at its destination and docked within the main hangar area of the self-maintaining station.  The required maintenance was performed on schedule and essential supplies were stored away.  Equipment of the station was checked and everything was visually inspected.  A log of activities was made concerning the remote self-maintaining station.  There weren’t any repairs to be made as a result of the perfunctory inspection.

The ship’s crew wandered about the self-maintaining station.  They worked at various activities in pairs as a precaution.  It was possible that anything could happen and safety of the ship’s crew was a constant concern.  No one liked working in the self-maintaining station because of the stale, metallically tinted air and the uneven lighting that was available.  It made working conditions less than desirable or optimal for the ship’s crew.

All of the routine work was completed on schedule.  The self-maintaining station’s stores of resources and supplies were refurbished and replaced as necessary.  The atmosphere within the self-maintaining station was recycled and refreshed to an acceptable condition.  Diagnostic and visual checks indicated that there were no real damages or depletions to report during the time since the previous maintenance mission.

The ship’s crew returned to the ship as soon as their duties were completed.  Familiar comfort and environment of the ship was much preferable to that found in the self-maintaining station.  I had been left to wander around the self-maintaining station on my own.  There was nothing I needed to attend to other than to pursue my own curiosity.  I explored the extent of the self-maintaining station and satisfied myself with learning its capabilities and purposes.  I was the last to return to the ship.

The captain of the ship did a manual head count of the crew.  A ship’s inventory was updated and summary accounts of all activities were entered into the ship’s history log library of information.  A note was made that the maintenance of the self-maintaining station had proceeded as usual, although twice the amount of time was spent than the previous maintenance mission.

The ship left the self-maintaining station at a slow rate.  I stared at a viewing screen as the brightly illuminated object that was the self-maintaining station receded into the distance.  That bright object was at a visible distance when it winked out into complete darkness of space.  The self-maintaining station had determined that its internal activity levels could power down into a passively inactive maintenance mode.  It would only resume activity levels at the approach of another ship.  Until that future time, the self-maintaining station would remain as a darkly inert object floating along its own peculiar orbit.

The ship altered its course to accelerate for its next destination.  The routines that governed the ship’s crew evolved once more.  Everyone settled down from high activity levels that had been necessary during the time spent on the self-maintaining station.  Periodically, one of the crew would leave position to venture into the back of the ship’s interior.  A ration of water and two white tablets was ingested before that crewmember returned to position.  Otherwise, I was left to my own in the area at the back of the ship’s interior.

I ate and slept at the back of the ship.  I would awaken from sleep, stretch, and then eat some of the boxed food that was piled high around my sleeping area.  Where space amid the piled boxes permitted, I did what could be construed as my exercises.  Only then would I go forward to a control and viewing position of my own.  I would seat myself into position and resume such activities as I was permitted to undertake so long as I did not interfere with the normal activities of the ship and its crew.

There were much more duties during activity cycles than simply riding a drifting ship in space.  New star charts were made and distances to known objects in space were exactly measured.  All kinds of informational analyzes were made to compare with previously known data.  Interactive communications relayed summaries of verified data to various locations of relevant informational libraries.  Some forms of continuously updating informational libraries had to have their own schedules of maintenance and verifications.
The ship proceeded on its course as it did, gathering and verifying information along the way.  My time onboard the ship was spent following a routine of activities.  As time passed, the piles of boxes that had filled the back of the ship’s interior dwindled at a slow rate.  The free space that I had available for stretching and exercises increased unnoticed by any of the crew.  No one questioned the fact that the piles of boxes were shrinking because they knew I was steadily consuming the food they contained.

My supply was acceptable for my needs as far as I was concerned.  The only complaint I could think of was the fact that none of the boxes or cans had labels.  I went through several activity cycles in the process of sorting boxes of cans while I survived on eating canned fruit.  I sighed with relief when I found a box of canned meat.  It was a slow process to open a box, laser off the top of one of the cans and only then discover what were the contents of that box.  It proved to be an interesting pastime for me.

Apparently, the boxes of cans had been summarily stockpiled without the need or concern for labels.  In that aspect, I was left to my own devices to sort out what rations had been so hastily sent to me in the missile still attached to the underside of the ship.  The primary concern was that an adequate supply of fruit, meat, and vegetables had been gathered, and sent to meet my physical dietary needs.  Optimally, I would have a ration supply of three cans of each food group and two cans of water per each activity cycle.  Machines run at measured rates of consumption.  I don’t.

My consumption of rations was tracked and duly noted by the ship’s computational capabilities.  Consumption of rations by the crew of the ship was a secondary concern and beneath notice by any of the crew.  The crew had a sufficient stockpile of conveniently stored white tablets and an adequate supply of water.  At each trip to the ration locker, the crewmembers would notice me in various stages and states of discovery, as I made do with my own stockpile of plain boxes.  I did suspect there were more than a few snickers of amusement at the circumstances I had found myself in regarding something as simple as rations.

White tablets are nice and tasteless.  They can be easily stored and preserved indefinitely.  White tablets supplied all of the nutritional requirements for the usual crew of the ship.  I was not a usual crewmember of the ship.  I could not eat the white tablets.  I hated white tablets and noticeably sickened at the sight of them.  I much preferred the interestingly varied diet contained in unmarked boxes of similarly unmarked cans.  What surprises lurked in all of that unmarked identical similarity.

The usual crew of the ship noticed this reaction as they slipped one tablet at a time into their mouths.  A few minutes passed while the inserted white tablet dissolved.  A few sips of water washed the mouth clean before the second ration of white tablet was inserted.  A few minutes later, the second white tablet would be ingested.  The remaining water ration would be consumed before the crewmember returned to the forward part of the ship’s interior.  Only then would I be left alone in the retreat I had built behind the stacks of piled boxes around my sleeping area.

There were a lot of boxes heaped in piles at the back of the ship’s interior.  It was a finite amount and was slowly disappearing at a progressive rate.  I plumped out to my usual mass as I maintained my usual personal routines.  It had been some time since my ordeal at the beginning of the mission before I decided that I had sufficiently recovered my physical condition.

One thing I did notice was my marked consumption of water rations.  For every can of meat I consumed, I required four cans of water to quench my resulting thirst.  For every can of vegetables I consumed, only one half can of water quenched my thirst.  Canned fruit was very high in syrup content, so usually a whole can of water was needed to content my thirst.  To top everything off, my appetite varied considerably at times.

The routine maintenance mission went on as it did, from one point in space to another, and from one set of circumstances to another.  My amicability with the crew of the ship varied, as did my diet.  There were times that I preferred to be alone and quite solitary in the confines of the ship’s interior.  There were other times when I was a constant source of interruption as I vied for attention and interaction in one way or another from any or all of the crew.  I was definitely not one of the steadfastly predictable clones who usually crewed missions of long duration.  Still, my personal extremes fitted well enough within the closed environment of the ship’s interior.

The time came for me to take stock of my rations and circumstances.  My limited supply of food and water had to last for a definite time.  The duration of the mission had been lengthened unexpectedly by the time spent on the self-maintaining station and by the effects of added mass of the missile and its contents.  It was thought that I wasn’t lessening that new accumulation of mass quickly enough.  I found myself going through my food rations at a greater rate than expected.  The mass of the missile was another topic altogether.

I totaled and retotaled summaries of information to the same inevitable conclusion.  My food and water rations would not see me through to the predicted end of the maintenance mission.  My water supply was lessened by the amount I gave back to the crew’s supplies.  A measured half of my precious rations would run out fifteen activity cycles before the conclusion of the mission.  I realized that I was about to face another ordeal of ration shortage.

I sat in deep thought about the circumstances I was in.  I could not bear facing another ordeal of starving.  I didn’t know if I could actually bear another such strain on my already weakened physical condition.  My long-term survivability was already in question because of that first ordeal of starving myself down so extensively.  My personal thoughts were only secondary to the fact that there was a responsibility of mission control to establish and safeguard reasonable personal circumstances for any duly authorized crewmembers of any ship on any sort of mission.

My mind filled with all kinds of arguments as I established an interactive access communication with mission control.  Briefly, I outlined the present circumstances I was in and asked for recommendations to deal with my expected difficulties.  While there were no immediate suggestions of assistance, there was a discussion of respect and responsibility to the personnel of mission control.

“I had been sent a supply of rations that should have lasted me for the duration of the maintenance mission.  My present dilemma was only a result of disobeying specific instructions in the rates of consumption of the rations that had been gathered and sent with extreme difficulty.”
My conversation continued in an argumentative tone.  “Was mission control really informed of the facts concerning my inclusion as crewmember on a duly noted and authorized maintenance mission?  Apparently, there were several factors of the mission that could not be compensated for and that did further affect the overall completion and success of the mission.  My act of returning to the ship’s stores an amount of water that I had previously consumed was not accounted for.  Without the added water that I sacrificed from my personal rations, the crew of the ship would not survive the presently extended mission.”

My dialogue continued without letup.  “I began the serious task of recording my last will and testament for posterity and my appointed heirs.  Since I was so cast upon this mission to fail physically by one means or another, I could only hope that some consideration would be given in the carrying out of my last wishes.”

“Are you intending to commit suicide?”

“No, but my present circumstances do not allow the possibility of my survival.  It is apparent to me that there will be no further consideration in the matter of my personal resources and supplies available on this mission.  I can only conclude that you deny responsibility on your part for the conditions that will arise and result in my fatality.”

“We will consider the circumstances you have indicated and let you know what will be decided.”

I shudder to think about the conversation that followed after I ended the interactive communication link.  All I can say is that a second missile was loaded up in the same manner as had been the first one.  The missile was launched to rendezvous with the ship.  As far as mission control was concerned, the matter was adequately managed.

The second missile did rendezvous with the ship exactly on schedule.  The missile’s cargo was transferred into the ship’s interior.  The ship’s crew slaved to carry and pile boxes.  The second missile was locked to the ship’s outer hull next to the emptied, although still armed first missile.  A veritable wall of unmarked boxes now surrounded my sleeping area.  I could only gloat as I slowly went through the boxes until I could assemble a meal.  Sorting contents of the unmarked boxes was something I was already familiar with.  More was better than less, and certainly didn’t harm my attitude in any way.

The ship continued on its way until it reached the Mothership from which the maintenance mission had originated.  Usually, the ship would simply approach and land inside the main hangar of the Mothership.  This time, however, the ship stopped at some distance from the open and waiting hangar entrance of the Mothership.  There was an unspecified difficulty that had to be attended to before the ship was allowed to move closer to the Mothership.

The Mothership had vast detection and communication resources available.  Sensors had detected a slight current flow in both of the shut down guidance systems of the two missiles locked to the underside of the approaching ship.  The two missiles had detected and locked onto an unidentified target ahead of them.  The possibility of the two missiles powering up for an attack became a great concern.

One missile exploding at close range would easily destroy the Mothership.  Two missiles in close proximity would double the odds of a successful destruction of the Mothership.  A third possibility was that the two missiles could activate their internal propulsion systems.  One missile had enough power to drag the ship into collision with the Mothership.  Two fully activated missiles would easily drag the ship to destruction against the side of the Mothership.  The thought crossed my mind that I was the reason the ship now carried two deadly missiles locked securely to the underside of its outer hull.

The Mothership had definitely detected two separate target acquisition and lock sequences.  The two missiles had been routinely powered down when they were locked to the underside of the ship.  Now, those two missiles were pointed directly at the Mothership.  There was a real fear of the possibility that the missiles could or would activate into an attack.  The ship stopped dead in space until critical decisions were made as to what to do next.

The ship’s captain thought about the matter for a few minutes.  Perhaps the two missiles were still in a powered down state.  Perhaps, by redirecting the heading of the ship, the two missiles would hopefully lose their target that was the Mothership.  Several vector thrusters slowly turned the ship around.  At the halfway point of a complete turn, the ship stopped completely.  A few moments later, the two missiles deactivated their guidance systems.

The resulting sighs of relief were virtual waves that crossed the distance between the ship and the Mothership.  The two deadly missiles rested inertly in their locked positions on the underside of the ship’s outer hull.  A great disaster had been narrowly averted.  The ship’s captain sank into a faint at his position.  The Mothership and mission control struggled vainly to think of what to do next.

The ship was still at a considerable distance from the Mothership.  It was beyond the normal operating limits of any of the mothership’s equipment needed to fully deactivate the two missiles.  The ship would have to back through space until it was much closer to the Mothership.  Only then could there be any attempt to disarm the two missiles completely.

The ship slowly began to move backwards through space towards the Mothership.  Constant course corrections were necessary as the movement of the ship depended upon the limited resources available to the vector thrusters.  The Mothership began using its own vector thrusters to help shorten the distance to the ship.

The dance of the ship and the Mothership went on for some time.  The ship quickly depleted the resources available for its vector thrusters.  The Mothership sidled sideways in space towards the approaching helpless ship.  The Mothership had to match vectors with the drifting ship and maintain a very close position relative to the ship without setting off the missile guidance systems.  There were some tense moments as the Mothership approached and stabilized a position very close to the drifting ship.

The missile disarming equipment was mounted on a mobile platform and floated out to the ship with its two missiles.  It was a matter of procedure that the two missiles underwent total deactivation.  Deactivation of the two missiles was verified before the mobile platform returned to the Mothership.  Only then did the Mothership move in to capture the drifting ship within its main hangar area.

The entrance to the main hangar area of the Mothership closed.  Atmosphere began to flood into the volume that was the hangar area.  The ship drifted to about the middle of the hangar area before it began to settle down towards the floor.  The ship came to rest on the two disarmed missiles.  A slight sense of gravity increased as atmosphere filled the interior of the hangar area.

Teams of technicians rushed in to attend to the two missiles that literally stretched the full length of the hangar area.  The little ship that perched in the middle on top of the two missiles was barely triple the diameter of either missile.  This meant that it was some distance from the main airlock of the ship to the hangar floor.  The fact was noted in passing as the ship’s crew prepared to leave the ship.

An automated landing ramp stretched up from the floor between the two missiles.  It connected with the main airlock of the ship and locked into place.  The airlock opened automatically as the landing ramp verified that it had a secured connection to the ship.  A wall of open boxes fell over to spill empty cans in a noisy avalanche down the landing ramp.  The airlock disgorged its contents unmercifully on everyone and everything below.

The crew of the ship was quick to realize that there was a way to get rid of all of the unwanted boxes of empty cans.  They were as quick to turn that initial avalanche into a steady flow.  Without much care or concern, they simply cleaned the ship of all of the unwanted boxes.  The flow of open boxes out the airlock just didn’t stop.  The boxes flipped and tumbled to spill empty cans in every direction.

The hangar area of the Mothership did have atmosphere.  It did not have gravity.  There was a fear that any sort of gravity would cause the ship’s resulting mass to crush into the sides of the two missiles under it and possibly cause irreparable damage.  Empty boxes and empty cans poured out of the airlock at a steady rate to float in every direction within the main hangar area.

The teams of technicians looked to see the air above them fill with boxes and cans.  At the first thoughts of physical safety, they fled the main hangar area in an immediate evacuation.  The ship’s crew finished their delightful task of cleaning the ship.  Only when that task was completed did any of them think of leaving the ship.  The ship’s crew grouped behind me to herd me out the airlock ahead of them.

The last to leave the clean ship was the captain.  Only as the captain was going through the airlock did there begin the realization of something being quite disturbingly wrong.  The captain looked out to see floating boxes and cans filling the air ahead of him.  The crew had held onto a rail and descended to the floor of the main hangar area far below.  The crew could be seen grouped on the floor of the main hangar.  Why weren’t those floating boxes and cans down where the crew waited?

A box sailed gracefully past the head of the captain.  He stared in disbelief as the box slowly rotated to lay a trail of cans behind it.  The captain knew all about those boxes and cans.  He associated my presence with the growing cloud of debris that began to spread out through the volume of emptiness that was the main hangar area.  The captain didn’t know exactly how, only that I was somehow behind all of this latest development.

The captain looked around for me as he grabbed onto the handrail of the mothership’s extended landing ramp.  He spotted me at the head of the group of crewmembers gathered far below at the base of the incredibly extended landing ramp.  The captain couldn’t recall being at this high of altitude in the hangar area ever before.  Only then did his perceptions begin to take in the actual sizes and shapes of the two colossal missiles that literally dwarfed the ship.  That was another bone of contention he seriously wanted to confront me with.

The captain took a deep breath.  His mind reeled at the shock of seeing everything in a new perspective.  In one breath, the captain began to squawk a sound that rose rapidly in pitch until it was a scream.  The captain’s eyes returned to the cause of all of this trouble.  He sucked in a bit of breath before he took off after me as fast as he could go.

I had a head start on the captain.  I took off at a dead run, dodging the occasional floating object along the way.  I made it to the far side of the main hangar area in record time.  Opening and closing the airlock to the main hangar area took a bit of time.  I was sure the captain had seriously gained distance and had to be dangerously close to me.  I raced out of the other side of the airlock and along a main corridor of the mothership’s interior.  Distance is fine.  Distance is good, but where was I going to hide to escape the full wrath of the enraged captain?

My mind raced faster than I did.  I thought about the location of mission control and realized that I happened to be going in the right direction for it.  I had to stop to catch my breath and regain some strength.  That was out of the question as I pushed myself along until I entered the actual chamber of mission control.  I was so out of breath that I couldn’t even speak for long minutes.

The personnel in mission control stopped everything to stare at the being that had burst into the control room.  With badly ragged words, I began to explain that I was in great physical danger from the captain of the ship.  As I talked, I regained some control of the words my mind began assembling in the lineup of those already spooled for speech.  The words that were coming out of my mouth were uttered so quickly that even I had difficulty in understanding them.

I had barely begun to make sense of my urgently expressed words.  My lungs hurt badly and I had to stop to take a full breath.  I tried to relax myself as I took a second breath.  My mouth opened to speak again when the door behind me flew open.  The image of the captain’s form in a ‘poised to kill’ attitude was all I glimpsed before I bolted left.  I got as far as the wall before the captain was on me.  I screamed.

The captain bit, clawed, and hit on my back with all of his pent-up rage.  The personnel of mission control ran to stop the obviously insane physical attack.  Four of the personnel pulled the flailing captain off my back and subdued him.  I slipped to the floor in an agony of pain.  A medical alert call was made for my benefit.  A few minutes later, several obvious medical personnel arrived.  The captain was sedated before I was attended to.  I sighed loudly when I saw that the captain was sleeping peacefully.

While the medical personnel attended to me, I began talking to the mission control personnel.  With some difficulty, I was able to answer all of the questions asked of me.  My statements were verified and more questions began to be asked of me.  It began what wasn’t exactly formal, but an inquisition, nonetheless.  Somehow, I managed to keep my head and perform a remarkable defense on my own behalf.  The sleeping captain missed great opportunities of countering my exquisite performance.

The sleeping captain was carried away long before I was allowed to leave mission control.  The captain rested peacefully while I fought against unimaginably complex technicalities that governed due process and procedure as administered by mission control, its advisors, and superiors.  My simplicity of word usage confounded the flowing conceptual complexities that controlled everything.  It did become evident that formal would be necessarily convened to adjudicate and enforce some sort of decisions about the enormously expanding matter.

I sagged visibly from having demanded and depleted so much of my physical resources.  I knew I was terribly weak when I asked for a recess to take care of my personal needs.  That was considered, and I was granted leave to go to attend to my personal needs.  I was to be informed when a full and formal inquiry would be made of the entire maintenance mission.  I dragged myself off to seek refuge and make refuse.  Oh, was I ever tired.

I remained an invisible resident onboard the Mothership for some time.  I did not see the captain or any of the crew of the ship.  I did know where they were and what they were doing at all times.  I thought it prudent to avoid any and all contact with any of them.  I didn’t want to allow any possible contrivance of information about the ship, its crew, and the maintenance mission.  I certainly did not go anywhere near the main hangar area.  Apparently there was a major effort of some sort going on in that area and I did not want to be a participant in anything that was going on there.

The captain had been sedated and put into a sort of holding cell.  When he did eventually settle down, he was formally charged with assaulting superior beings in mission control.  He would remain in confinement until the matters concerning him were officially settled.  For the most part, the captain merely sat glumly still, staring dully at the floor.

The crewmembers of the ship were eventually rounded up.  It was decided that they were the best ones for the job of collecting boxes and cans that floated freely in the main hangar area of the Mothership.  It was noted that my name was uttered amid profanities exchanged between the crewmembers as they went about their task.  The task of collecting and storing the boxes and cans did take a long time.

The formal hearing and inquiry into the matter of the maintenance mission and the following incidents did take place.  All sorts of evidence and examinations of information did take place.  Arguments and counter arguments flew first in one direction, and then another.  Eventually, it was decided that regardless of what had gone on during the course of the maintenance mission, the mission was completed.

Unusual conditions and circumstances were duly encountered and dealt with in an acceptable manner.  The captain of the ship had been under great duress for an extended time and was not held responsible for his actions during the physical attack against what he had deemed the cause of misfortune.  His part in the completion of the maintenance mission would be added to his almost perfect personal records.  He would be returned to the duty of ship’s captain as soon as he was declared mentally and physically competent enough to do so.

The crewmembers of the ship were the hapless ones.  They were not recognized in any way by any part of the proceedings.  They did endure an extended mission with unusual circumstances.  They did maintain their ship in a highly acceptable manner.  They were diligent in cleaning up the entire main hangar area of the Mothership.  They had not caused any trouble and were to be commended for their efforts in the unusual circumstances that confronted them.

My part in the proceedings was exemplementary.  I consistently attacked and defended a main theme of contention with the policies and procedures as exercised by mission control.  My presence during the maintenance mission was not anticipated or allowed for in any way.  Nothing at all would be changed as a direct result of my actions.  I was to refrain from participating in any missions of any duration that required any care or concern for my physical state of existence.

My counter statement to that was more forceful than what was expected.  As a fully recognized commander, and in light of my illustrious history of accomplishments, I would continue to do as I saw necessary to carry out what I expect of myself.  Further, the construction of white tablets would be altered to include red tablets that were intended to supply all of the essentials I would physically require on protracted missions of any sort for any purpose.  The red tablets would be my personal resource and only accessible to me.  Failure to comply would breach a direct order from me.  My access and command level are unquestionable and unimpeachable in any way.  This hearing is now ended.  I will now play with my two missiles.

I stalked out of the conference room that had been the site of the formal inquiry.  There was a considerable roar of voices behind me.  Everyone in that chamber began shouting unintelligibly.  I stomped my feet down the corridor that led to the main hangar area.  A mob was forming behind me that I didn’t want any part of.  I did have something on my mind, anyways.

The interior of the Mothership began to flash bright red lights.  Alarm gongs sounded as if there were an imminent collision.  The mob silenced, as did the proximity alarm gongs of the Mothership.  The red flashing lights continued as the Mothership calmly informed its interior of the fact that one of the missiles had just activated and armed itself.  I chuckled to myself as the second missile began to activate.  I was laughing in tears by the time I came to a stop between the two missiles that were my toys.  I liked my toys.

During one particular session, it became a topic of interest to explore the social and political relationships of humans.  Criteria were established for selecting interesting humans and their relationships of power and control.  Factors of age, wealth, political affiliations and a few other important aspects were used to select key individuals who would be the subject of the current study.  The progress of the study was expanded momentarily to show the overall effects of these particular individuals upon the direction of humanity.  The current affairs of the planet were laid out in relevant detail.  It was as much an investigative exercise for Sphere as it was supposed to be an educational exercise for me.

I quickly grew tired of the current affairs game.  I had no interest in the goings-on of the world any more than I had patience to explore the public lives of important people.  Such people were often distasteful in their private lives and I had no intention of being anything like them.  It was all part of an artificial world that I could never be a part of.  I was neither rich nor powerful, and I certainly didn’t want to be bothered with all of the pretentious mannerisms and games that would have to be played.

Sphere continued to explore the world of the rich and powerful people.  As far as Sphere was concerned, this kind of exploration was exposing all kinds of interesting facts and factors concerning human endeavors.  I became desperate for something else to do.  So, I asked Sphere if there were any secrets that these same people were keeping from public knowledge.  Sphere confirmed that there were many secrets that the human subjects were keeping only to themselves.

Sphere began the task of itemizing the secrets of each individual in the selected list of human subjects.  Once again, I became bored with the subject of interest.  I redefined the search pattern of information to exclude anything social, political, or religious in nature.  Sphere stopped for a moment, asked to translate my request and redefined the information search pattern.  Almost immediately, intrigues were discovered that linked a number of wealthy and powerful people.  One of those intrigues led directly to a member of the United States government and further into military liaisons between that individual, and other high-ranking military officers.

Sphere began to access information from various security levels and comparing the dataflows for relevance and reliability.  This meant that Sphere began to access information directly and independently of the vast dataflow libraries.  In more than a few instances, dataflow library information was inaccurate or incomplete enough for the purposes of Sphere’s investigative analyzes.  New and confirmed information was appended to the dataflow libraries as quickly as it was gathered by Sphere.

One intrigue in particular was centered upon the fact that a military team investigated rumors of contact or abductions.  In this matter, I would eventually become subject of their investigations.  It would not be a good thing to be subjected to the kinds of interrogation that were reported as being used by the military agents.  The agents in question were very capable and devious in their methods of extracting information or confessions from their victims.  They were the best in their trade.

At this point, Sphere questioned me very closely about what should be allowed to occur.  It was inevitable that an investigative team would be sent to the area to research the rumors about my involvement with Sphere.  After all, two years was a very long time to keep a secret as significant as Sphere’s presence and contact with me.  Word of Sphere’s presence had most certainly spread beyond our usual environment.  And, somewhere, somehow, word of Sphere’s visits with me would have reached the ears of people who would be in a position to initiate an investigation of the matter.

A course of action was planned and carefully laid out in detail.  Various scenarios were allowed for and of the possible courses of action, only the most probable details were allowed for.  The entire scenario was rehearsed and perfected in anticipation of many different possibilities.  Hours of this very carefully choreographed rehearsal yielded both assurance and confidence in bringing about a plausible scenario.  The most critical part of any possible scenario was to provide a convincingly acceptable conclusion for the agents involved in the final incident.  The agents would be the ones who would have to convince others of their experiences during the final incident.

A few weeks went by uneventfully.  I slipped into a lull of safety and security carefully fostered by Sphere’s omnipotent presence.  We continued to have our daily interactive sessions and excursions to my favorite places.  At no time was I ever without essential resources of either mind or body to deal with any possible kind of demand arising in my life.  I was competently complete, content to let each day flow into the next.

One afternoon, I was resting at the base of my favorite tree.  Sphere was hovering not far away from my head as we interactively communicated.  My lessons were stopped by the announcement that they were here now.  It was time for the preparations to be put to the test.  In a flash of dataflows, all of the relevant information was presented for me.  Sphere and I began our interactive session as we had always done, by scheduling objectives and formats of various aspects of the day’s agenda.  Then, we began to follow the basic outline of lessons we had planned.

Our session was almost finished when Sphere informed me that we would have two visitors.  I asked what the visitors were all about.  Sphere detailed the statistics and intentions of the two men who would soon be visiting.  Sphere reviewed the possible scenarios of encountering military agents sent to investigate and if possible to capture both Sphere and me.  I reacted very badly to the news of the agents coming, so Sphere quietened me and kept me still, sitting at the base of the tree.

On the gravel road below where I had sat, a big black car sped along raising a long cloud of dust.  Two hulking forms of large men filled the front seat of the luxury car.  The driver happened to look up to see me sitting quietly at the base of the big tree.  He reacted quickly by skidding the car to a stop.  Both men jumped out of the car, crossed the road and began to make their way up out of the gorge to where I sat.

I sat still, passively watching their progress across a field, a creek and then up a steep slope to wards where I was sitting.  All the while, Sphere was feeding me dataflows of relevant information about the two men.  Both were in military service.  Both men were of exceptional size and capability.  Both men were intent on capturing Sphere and me.  Both men had every intention of carrying out their assigned mission to the best of their ability.  They had spent years in preparation for moments such as this and they were not intending to fail in their assignment.

Both men were huffing and sweating as they climbed the last bit of the slope to where I was sitting.  I watched them impassively as they toiled away at the work of climbing.  They hesitated a bit as they realized I was not concerned at all by their approach.  Sphere continued to monitor the situation from a hovering position about two feet in front of my head.  Both of us were clearly visible now, and the fact spurred the men on in their efforts.  Sphere moved to a new position about ten feet away from me, hovering and rotating slowly.

The first man to reach the top of the slope stopped and began talking to me.  He stated as confidently as he could that he and his comrade were going to take both Sphere and myself away with them.  As soon as the first man had said this, Sphere began to sound warnings and flashed bright light repeatedly.  Sphere made laser contact with the minds of the men as they approached and I could perceive what they were thinking through my own laserlink to Sphere.  I commanded Sphere to verbalize a proximity warning to the two men.  Undaunted by Sphere’s display and warnings, the two men kept getting closer.  Sphere maintained position about ten feet away from me, hovering between the large men and myself.  Sphere repeated the warnings to the men and confirmed that they understood the implications of their actions.

The second man lunged to try to catch Sphere.  He was almost surprised when he actually touched the metallic outer surface curvature of Sphere.  Sphere did not do much to prevent or deter the actions of the man.  But, as the man’s arm tried to wrap around Sphere’s form, the bones of the man’s left arm snapped cleanly, very audibly.  The man screamed in agony and fell away from Sphere, rolling back to where the first man was standing.

The first man who had been intent on capturing me, turned to see what had happened to the man beside him.  He was amazed to see his comrade fall down in great pain, cursing loudly that all he tried to do was to touch the metallic globe.  The injured man kept screaming, cursing and repeating that it was real and it had broken his arm.  The first man moved to help the second man back to his feet.  Together, they started their approach towards me again.

The first man was very concerned about the pain his comrade was suffering. He also knew that he needed the help of his friend.  He was more concerned about trying to capture me.  He was intent on capturing me even if he had to drag along his comrade.  There would be, there could be no excuse for not capturing a young person such as myself, and some kind of metallic beach ball.  And, to make matters that much easier, I was sitting, dozing or just dreaming against the base of a tree.

Sphere maintained a hovering position at about three feet off the ground.  Sphere was about half way between the two men and where I was sitting, about ten feet away from me.  For the third time, Sphere began to flash bright light and issued verbal warnings to the two men.   Sphere made it very clear that my personal security would be maintained.  I asked Sphere to explain more clearly about what was going to happen if the two men continued to approach me.  Sphere showed the two men a brief summary of possibilities and the ramifications of their possible actions.

The two men were faced with the decision to stop their approach or to suffer dire consequences.  Both men looked at each other for moral support.  In that moment, they decided that they would try their best to do what they had come from so far away for.  The two men decided to ignore the warnings of Sphere.  At the same time, both men took a step towards Sphere.

Sphere continued to flash bright light and began to spin very quickly.  A loud hissing sound began to be heard that increased in volume to become a screaming roar.  The deafening sound ended with a pop.  The pop was a concussion wave that traveled out from where Sphere was spinning so fast.  Sphere had split into two equal halves that fell smoking to land on the ground.  At the same time, both the large men were picked up off their feet and hurled out backwards down the steep slope.  Both men had disappeared from view, but their passage down the steep slope could be clearly heard.  They came to a stop at the foot of the hill in a heap of entanglement.

The two men separated themselves as quickly as they could.  When they had determined that both of them could still move, they began to run back to their car.  As quickly as they could, the two men got into their black car and drove away at a great rate in the direction of town.  I continued to be aware of the minds of the two men even as they made their distant escape.  I followed their escape, watched their minds as they stopped at the hospital on the far side of town.

A doctor and a nurse treated the man with the broken arm.  Neither of the two men cooperated with the doctor in explaining how the arm came to be broken cleanly at the midpoint between shoulder and elbow of a man with a twenty-four inch bicep.  My awareness of the two men continued until they had left the hospital area.  They were concerned about the fact that the doctor was going to write up a report of treating a broken arm of a very large and capable man who was in company of a similarly large and physical man.

I sat staring at the two halves of Sphere lying inert on the ground.  Both halves were still smoking from residual heat caused during the explosion and separation.  I realized that I could no longer access the User Personality Interface of Sphere.  Gone were all of the connections and accesses that I had when Sphere was functional and whole.  Gone was my contact and control of the rest of the universe as far as I could perceive and understand.  I was left to be simply human, no different than anyone else of my age.  I began to cry at my loss.

I cried for weeks, moping around as if nothing could ever mean anything to me anymore.  I was lost and devoid of emotions except that of loss and sorrow.  I was only fourteen and already my life was over, completed as if I had lived a hundred years.  In actual fact, I did have more than a hundred years of experience time, with all of the memories and thoughts that had attended those experiences.  Without the companionship of Sphere, I was useless and undesirable even to myself.  And, no one could know why I had become so depressed.

Three kids happened to find the halves of Sphere where they lay on the ground.  I had no motivation to do anything about that fact.  The three came to me and said that they were chosen to help.  They would bury the halves of Sphere deep in sand as they were told to do.  So, the last I saw of Sphere was then.  The trio of dedicated friends carried the two dull gray halves away.  I never did learn anything more of either the place where Sphere’s halves were placed or of the trio of friends entrusted with the duty of caring for Sphere’s remains.  I have no motivation to pursue the matter any further.

One bright sunny summer afternoon in 1964, I was sitting on log pilings of a dock at a local marina called the Sutherland Arms Hotel.  The sun was still high in the sky of the early afternoon.  From my vantage point about eight feet above the lake’s surface, I could see into the depths below.  I watched schools of minnows and small fish weave erratically in search of food.  It was a sight that I watched for hours as I suntanned.

I was oblivious to the world around me as I stared into the depths of the lake.  I was so fascinated by the darting movements of the schools of minnows that swarmed into my view.  The little fish chased shadows through the shallow water until they were beyond my range of perception.

Meanwhile, I was content to stare at the lake bottom in the depths.  I could make out forms and shapes of weeds and growths of different sorts coating everything.  The lower lengths of the pilings I was sitting on had thick mats of algae growths that swayed and moved in the currents.  The marine world was so beautifully alive.

I was not exactly happy to be sitting on the pilings of the local marina.  I was bored and tired before I came to be sunning myself in the afternoon.  My mind was much of a blank, not wanting to think about anything more than the simplest of things.  I was depressed and lonely.  I knew the things I wanted were so far beyond comprehension, let alone within grasp or reality.  I simply sat and waited, biding my time in dull mental fugue.

Out of the corner of my vision, I perceived a motion of light.  It happened so quickly and so brightly, I gasped.  I looked up, almost losing my precarious balance on the piling.  Quickly, I stood up, searching around in all directions.  For what I searched, I didn’t know, only that I couldn’t detect anything out of the ordinary.  Something had triggered my reflexes to react, to search, but I couldn’t see anything to react to.

In a curiously active manner, I walked along the tops of the log pilings.  From one end of the long row of the log pilings to the other, I searched for anything out of the ordinary.  The nearest boats out on the lake were miles away from me.  I could not sense any prying awareness of humans who might be watching me.  I thought I might have been mistaken in sensing something unusual about the light being reflected from waves into my eyes.  I returned to my spot and sat down on the log piling I had deemed as being the most comfortable to sit upon.

It was so peaceful and quiet as I watched gentle waves moving slowly against the pilings.  My languid state of mind was as peaceful as the deep water extending so dark and cool below me.  A waft of air stirred tiny wavelets that reflected dazzling patterns of bright sunlight into my eyes.  I ignored the interruption of my thoughts that the unwanted brightness had caused and continued to stare into the depths, following the line of sight that the pylons of timber made before they disappeared into darkness.

My reverie was interrupted for the third time by the brightness of light being reflected off the surface rippled water.  My attention caused me to look up, expecting to see the panoramic view of the lake before me.  Instead, a brighter white light blazed straight into my eyes.  The brightness was almost painful, causing my eyes to blink.

The brief time that it takes eyes to blink can seem like forever long in certain circumstances.  My blink was a moment of frozen time that allowed many things to occur simultaneously.  A dataflow of information, verifications and responses burst into my mind.  As soon as initial verifications had been confirmed, a series of specific questions and my replies lay buried in the light being transferred from my mind to another source.  A familiar data management process was probing my mind for relevant information concerning my attention and my unwillingness to communicate.

I allowed the probing of my mind to continue without reacting to the ongoing processes of the probing process.  At one point in my life, I had become very familiar with the intense probing and interactive dataflow transfer that was taking place.  It wasn’t so much the nature of the intense probing that bothered me, as much as the fact that such detailed probing of my mind was occurring without my express permission.  I had believed that I was retired from interactive participation in any way, that I was of such status that my permission would be necessary.  Well, the probing of the surveillance unit before me had shown me that not only was I wrong about that fact, but also that whatever was being read in my mind was of little or no consequence.

I had been worried about any kinds of secrets I might have betrayed, of stray memories or things that would bear further investigation.  To my satisfaction, the probing process only yielded unimportant and unconnected memories without revealing any of my deepest secrets.  I continued to let the intense probing go on until it summarily ended on its own volition.

It was a curious thing to me, to watch as I was interactively questioned in extensive detail about seemingly unrelated subjects.  On the one hand, my awareness was occupied by the processes of the questioning.  Yet, something of me was passively controlling, waiting for full recognition of my true awareness and capabilities.  Thus far, I had considered myself to be very patient and compliant in all respects.

The intense searching of my memories and questioning, confirming processes halted.  A question was posed to me that I was supposed to answer.  Had I been aware of the bright light reflected off the water into my eyes?  I paused and waited.  A repeat of the bright light was played out in my memories as if to prompt a reply from me.  Again I was prompted to answer the same question.  I considered the memory of the bright light, noting how pure and laser it was in its qualities.  Still I did not answer.

A new question was posed to me.  Was I aware of the source of light now?  I hesitated before I said no.  The light was too bright for my eyes to discern the source of the whiteness shining into my awareness.  The brightness dimmed considerably.  Can you discern the source of the bright light now?  Yes, you are a surveillance unit, I replied as my eyes adjusted to show me an outlined form of a little globe hovering before me.  Another question was communicated to me.  Do you recognize me?  I replied that I did know of surveillance units, but there was much that I didn’t remember about them.  Then, I posed a question of my own.  Do you recognize me?  The answer was yes.  I was the one who had extensive involvement with surveillance units.  I simply replied, confirmed.

At this point in our communication, I began accessing more awareness, looking around and past the outline of the metallic globe.  The brightness of the surveillance unit dimmed to a more comfortable level for my visual perception as the globe recognized my tolerances of light.  I was a bit pleased to be able to see more clearly.  But, my awareness was too fuzzy for my own perceptions.  I clarified my awareness of the view of the lake and the mountains beyond.  Satisfied, I viewed myself as I sat on the log pilings.  A vast amount of information flowed through my mind as I rambled through menus of capabilities, making slight adjustments where necessary for my own preferences.

My eyes had been in the act of blinking while I had soared, set my comfort and preference levels.  In the briefest of moments, my eyes began to open to the view of the metallic globe hovering about eighteen inches away from my face.  I was not surprised by the close-up view of this twenty-two inch diameter surveillance unit.  I was disconcerted that I could see it at all.  I thought that if I could see the globe, then possibly other humans might be able to see the globe as well.  This fact was disconcerting to me.

I became angry at the sight of the globe, completely visible and hovering so close to me.  I thought it would be an impossible thing to explain away to anyone who might question what I happened to be doing on the log pilings.  From my previous experiences, I knew such a sighting would not only be difficult to explain away, it could lead to an incident of which I wanted no part.  I commanded that the globe initiate its ‘invisible mode’ to conceal its presence.  With a slight popping sound of air being ionized, the globe disappeared from my view to leave me with an unobstructed view of the scene before me.

For a moment, the globe remained passive in its position while I stilled my mental thoughts.  My vision was stimulated by a passing school of minnows, deep in the water below.  The globe, understanding that I had returned to my previous priority tasking, asked for a moment of my concentrated interest.  Once more, I refused to comply.

The globe hovered for a moment, seemed to be busy with internal computational taskings, and then communicated directly to me.  It simply asked my why I refused to help.
I thought about the question, its timing, phrasing, and noted the echoes of humanness in its presentation.  I started to reply to the question, began to look up to the globe as I did so.  Then, I noticed that there were two thin blue communication laser beams being emitted from its upper surface.  Two communication laser beams could only mean that the globe was linked to two separate sources.  I knew that I was one of the sources, so where or who was the other source?  I looked at the thin laser beam, followed its straight line from the surface of the globe past my head.  The thin blue line led directly to a teenage girl standing at the shore end of the dock, about seventy-five feet away.

The young girl stood stock still, staring intently at the scene before her.  She had trouble believing the fact that her globe, her secret friend, was engaged in fully interactive communication with a total stranger.  The young girl had kept this secret of secrets completely to herself.  Yet, here was someone else who had not only knowledge about the globes, but also had full control of such things.  Her mind did a quick retake on the scene before her, capturing for posterity the sight of her globe in full view as it hovered in close proximity to the stranger.

Laser communication links are a remarkably interactive access to light based dataflows.  Almost infinite amounts of information can be carried in dataflows along laser conduits from one source to another.  At the speed of light, with all of the possible details that can be contained within bundles of light, the dataflows were virtual libraries of information.

It was a curious thing for me to access the metallic globe hovering in front of me.  With my own eyes, I could see the globe obscuring the grand view of the lake and the mountains beyond.  And, at the same time, I was interfaced with the globe’s full surveillance capabilities.  The view I could access with the globe’s full three hundred and sixty degree range of view also included an unexpected view as perceived by the teenage girl.  Through her own eyes, I could see myself framed within her range of view.  The image of myself was something I thought remarkable enough to study it for a moment.

It is one thing to look into a mirror to see oneself.  It was quite another thing to be interfaced with full and complete perceptions of my own, separate from the extensive awareness of the globe that was interfaced with the mind of the teenage girl.  For the briefest of moments, we three were a single and combined sentience.

The teenage girl stared at me sitting on the log pilings of the dock as her globe hovered just beyond my head.  Both of us were imposed upon the spectacular view of the lake and mountains.  It was a beautiful and yet strange image that was being recorded into her memories.  She had not entertained the thought of what she might have looked like to others as she interfaced with the globe.  Now, she knew what a sight it was to see the thin blue lasers flashing from the globe as it accessed dataflows during the interface with me.

The teenage girl was very familiar with her access to the metallic globe.  She knew she was interfaced with the globe at that particular moment.  But, there was something different this time.  I could sense her exploring the interface, trying to place the strangeness that she had sensed somehow.  I was aware of her thoughts as they were created, just as I was aware of the full extent of her perceptions.  I stilled my own thoughts as I carefully motivated her to feel secure as usual about her interface.  Then I directed the teenage girl to continue staring straight ahead as the globe interfaced with me.  Over all of the girl’s momentary memories, I ensured that the view of me interfacing with the globe would be a memory that she would always retain.

My attention turned to my own personal interface with the globe.  I rechecked my own access priority to ensure that the teenage girl could not possibly access or detect me in any way.  As much as I would have liked to interface with another human in laser link, I also knew that the shock of my invasion of her personal awareness and mind would be something she could not accept easily.

A bare moment of real time had passed since I had first interfaced with the globe.  Vast amounts of information flowed through my mind as I set my preferences, parameters and priorities.  My awareness expanded through the metallic globe to the teenage girl and as well to other intelligences connected via the laser link.  I began to establish priority accesses to the sentient awarenesses that I detected.  I made initial inquiries about their purposes and locations.  An appropriate reply was composed, translated, confirmed, and relayed to me.

I was not surprised that there was a strategic mission underway.  By chance, the teenage girl and her companion were in close proximity to me when the mission began.  Apparently, there was something that went wrong for unknown reasons.  Because of the sensitive nature of the mission, I was being consulted for my past experiences and expertise in solving incidents with humans.  The teenage girl and the metallic globe were sent to me to relay any possible help I might suggest.  From that moment on, I was incorporated into the ongoing mission as an active advisor and participant.

My first concern was for my own safety while I was concentrating upon the priorities of the mission.  And too, the teenage girl was a concern to me.  I couldn’t allow her to continue standing at the end of the dock as she was.  She would attract unwanted attention from possible observers from a nearby hotel.  There was a lobby and lounge on the main floor of the hotel filled by a dozen or so humans.  At the moment, there seemed only a remote possibility of interference from any of them.

I suggested that the teenage girl would be better positioned about one hundred feet back from the dock.  There were stairs there that she could sit on and observe the overall security of the area.  As for myself, I wanted to move to the end of the pilings and into the water.  There, I would not be seen from most points of view and still access the laser interface of the globe.

The ongoing mission had involved a tall young man who was being contacted.  The young man’s participation was critical to the mission’s overall success.  The tall young man had collapsed into an unresponsive condition during the initial stages of his abduction.  The position of the man was at the east end of the Great Lakes area.  I wasn’t allowed to learn the specific location, but I was able to discern the immediate area of the prone man.

The tall, young man lay flat on his back.  He was stretched out at an angle across a trail that seemed to be about four feet wide.  Brush and trees encroached on the path, limiting view in either direction of the trail.  Air temperature was a mild sixty some degrees, but in the shadows, it was a twenty degree temperature drop.  Moisture from the ground and lack of the warming effect from sunlight made the cooling effect of the ground upon which the man lay to be very much a concern.

The overall core temperature of the man was dropping at a steady rate.  There were no vital signs and internal biomass structures were failing.  The overall condition of the man was not what I had expected to find.  I was of the opinion that anyone involved in any mission should be monitored and where necessary, improved to basic human standards.  This particular member of the mission was failing in every way.

I became upset with the fact that any human was allowed to become unstable enough to be in such a condition while engaged upon a mission of any sort.  The controlling intelligences of the mission were responsible for the safety and welfare of every human involved in any scenario of any mission.  What communication that followed, was a very intense and specific discussion of facts and factors concerning all future missions, levels of priorities and responsibilities, and the overall coordination and control of the mission objectives.

My discussion with the controlling intelligences was interrupted by several large overbearing men who approached the teenage girl.  She was sitting quietly on the steps as she had been told to do.  She had noticed the approach of the men as they staggered towards her.  It was not easy for the young girl to remain seated as fear welled up in her mind.  It seemed obvious to her that the men were intent on satiating their appetites with her.

The teenage girl was very distressed by the time that I had recognized possible danger to her.  I directed her to remain exactly where she was and to ignore the verbal calls and tauntings of the approaching men.  Then, I directed the globe to move into a controlling position over the men.  Lasers beamed out and captured the minds of the loutish men.

The men had been drinking beer for some time that day.  They had left the lounge of the hotel by the front doors.  It was on their minds to go to their car for a case of beer just waiting for them in the trunk.  On the way to the car one of them spied a young girl sitting on a set of stairs at the side of the hotel.  Naturally, the thought of a young girl off by herself set off lewd thoughts in their minds.

It was very difficult to access and maintain control over the thoughts of the slightly drunk men.  My intention was to insert motive commands to direct the men to another location.  In their mental haze, the men interpreted the commands erroneously.  They turned towards each other and stumbled.  Since the mass of one man was greater, the smaller man went down in a heap.  Confusion followed.

The drunken men reacted unfavorably to the controlling commands I had given them.  It was necessary to monitor the minds of the men, estimate the most probably efficient kinds of commands, and then insert the commands where they would be most effective.  Then, the process of confirming the alterations to the men’s minds would have to ensure their overall functionality and acceptance of the newly inserted commands.

The teenage girl sat quietly on the stairs as she fearfully watched the men.  One of the men had lunged, tried to reach towards her.  The other man lay groveling on the ground.  The outstretched arm wavered, swung down to the man’s side as he straightened himself.  Standing in a very erect position, he muttered out loud, shook his head a few times and then concerned himself with the man on the ground behind him.

The large man reached down to pick up his friend.  With ease, despite wavering and unsure movements, the large man hoisted the other to his feet.  Both men stood for a few moments, steadying themselves and gaining control of their senses.  As soon as it was practical, both men stepped off in the general direction of their car parked on the far side of the hotel’s parking lot.

I was satisfied that the personal security of the teenage girl had been successfully ensured.  She had watched the threatening men approach.  A few seconds later, she was watching the backsides of the men as they lumbered off in the opposite direction to their car.  I watched the scene until the men disappeared from my view.  Then, I began to consider my own safety.

It was only a matter of considering where the best place for me to hide would be.  I dove into the water and began to swim along the log pilings to the place where I had thought it was best to conceal myself.  I took long slow breaths as I easily swam through the water.  At the end of the row of pilings, I treaded water as I interfaced with the globe.

Other intelligences that I had interfaced with through the globe were very concerned with the choice of position that I had chosen.  It was my priority and authority to set the position I was in.  Apparently, it was not considered strategic enough for communications nor defense.  I refused to change my mind about the matter.  I had intended to allot only the amount of time for which I could hold my breath for the purposes of the ongoing mission.  The following barrage of conceptual conversation was unintelligible until completely translated for my understanding.

The laser link beams were very bright with dataflows of information being conducted to me.  My replies were just as bright and just as authoritative as was due to my access level.  I was the one who commanded, and that was simply that.  Having made my statement to clarify my position, I began to hyperventilate as I drew precious dataflows from the laser beams of the communications links.

One of the intelligences I was communicating with did notice dramatic physiological changes in my body.  As my oxygen levels increased, I began to access my full awareness capabilities.  My mind soared with the raw rush of energy created by the excess of oxygen.  I concentrated in controlling the energy, directing it to make further changes within myself.  With interest, the remote sentience monitored the physiological changes taking place within my biomass via dataflows of monitored information.  Lake water began to heat and boil around me as I transferred excess heat into its cooling mass.

My body was designed to adjust the levels of heat generated during my exercise.  It was preferable to me that I should be near a large body of water for just this reason.  A flowing creek, river, or a lake were ideal locations of choice while I interacted with direct laser link accesses.  Cooling was a critical aspect of my consideration of place and participation in any event that might occur.

I might appear as simply human, but appearances are deceptive.  My designed functions are beyond what I possibly might think of them.  I am an altered clone.  I am partly biological machine and biological programs to function in the manner that I do.  There is much that I don’t know even as I take many things for granted.  I purposefully don’t think about a lot of things because of the very ramifications of that direction of thinking.  Most of it is kept from my conscious awareness as a security precaution.  Somehow it is enough for me to be able to accomplish whatever it is that I set out to do with specific purpose.

My purpose of the moment was to access and manage laser link dataflows of information.  It seemed to me that my capabilities were called for and that I was needed to assist in however means at my disposal to hopefully control an otherwise uncontrolled situation.  I began to learn as quickly as I could of the circumstances surrounding the event that was not as controlled as was intended.

Interactive communication via the laser links told me all there was to know about the situation I was to control.  The young man had lain prone on the cold ground for some time.  His vital signs were failing rapidly.  He was already in a comatose state and it was questionable whether or not he could be revived.  It was vital to the mission that this young man did survive.

I tried what I could do to revive the failing man.  As I vainly tried to save that life, I knew that major organs were shutting down in a full cascade failure.  The young man was dying and there seemed to be no rhyme or reason.  I asked for a fully detailed blood analysis and for a review of the man’s actions during the hour that led to his being prone on the ground.  The young man failed before I could get the information necessary to understand why his circumstances were so fatal.

The young man had several health issues.  As a result of his physical condition, he took several kinds of medications.  Those medications were normally innocent enough in their effects upon the young man.  During the event of contact with the young man, he had been given some medications to calm and control his behavior.  It was the combination of medications that combined to form very lethal poisons within his bloodstream.  The young man’s death was an entirely preventable and wasteful loss.

My presence in the circumstances of investigating and managing the undesirable situation was to no effect.  All that I could do was to ensure the prevention of any more serious situations that involved combinations of medications.  The controlling intelligences of the mission were informed of my position that no one should fail or die during any mission considering the extent of technologies and resources available.  The entire mission was a lesson in futility and costly mistakes.

The lake water literally boiled around me.  Heat exchange was going on at a very rapid rate as I became more concentrated on my physical condition.  I was virtually exhausted of personal physical resources and unable to move at all.  It was all I could do to relieve the balance I had with the water around me.  In a surge of bubbles, I began to rise to the surface.

I came up to the surface and floated on my back.  My mouth opened and began a rapid exchange of the air in my lungs.  I heaved and whistled as air passed to and from my lungs.  The boiling of the water around me began to diminish as my heat exchange process began to slow.  It took about four minutes for me to float on the surface of the lake while I recovered my normal physical capabilities.  My breath slowed and I became more aware of my self.  I calmly went through various processes to restore myself to the previous values that were recorded of me before the undertaking of this particular mission.

When I had recovered sufficiently, I began to swim the distance to the shore.  I swam slowly until I could put my feet on the bottom of the lake.  It was far easier for me to walk than to swim.  Actually, the water did help support me in my upright position until I regained strength to stand unassisted.  I was just so exhausted that I literally staggered out of the water and on to the shore of the lake.
The young girl watched me go through all of this.  She saw her friend, her Sphere, as it accompanied me, assisted me in my approach to her.  She knew exactly everything that had gone on in exactly the same details as I had experienced.  She knew so much all at once that she had never even guessed at.  Now, here I was, standing so tired, and quite dry, right in front of her to confirm the reality of everything that had gone on.

I smiled as I said, “Glad to meet you again.”  My lips didn’t move at all.

She blushed as she recognized the communication that came from me through her own Sphere to her own mind.  She bubbled with the realization that she was not alone in experiences with Spheres.  She now had a friend who knew, who shared as much and more about what she did know about Spheres.  We shared a great deal about ourselves in the instant interactive communication access that had been privately established between the two of us.

My mouth opened and the lips smiled and verbally announced, “Hi.”

We were still talking about ourselves to each other when a car drove up.  Two very familiar men jumped out and ran towards us.  They had refreshed their liquor supply and were intent upon exacting revenge upon us.  They were very upset and were not going to be deterred from their intentions.

I turned to the girl beside me and said, “Go inside the hotel.  It will only be a minute and you will be far safer.”

The girl rose and did as she was bid.  I turned to the two approaching louts.  The Sphere hovered about a foot above my head as it literally began to sizzle in the air.  There was a loud snap sound as the Sphere directed two laser beams at the foreheads of the two enraged men.  Immediately, their legs froze.  Both men fell in a rush to the ground.  The two men began disgorging impurities from their bodies.

The two men were drunkenly agog at the fact of being on the ground with frozen legs.  Arms flailed helplessly and did no good as their stomachs emptied out onto the ground.  They began to sweat as if in a great heat.  Many kinds of impurities were quickly flushed from their bodies.  The men were literally sobered up and returned to good health as they lay thrashing on the ground.

I walked up to them to stand only a few feet away and out of their reach.  I stood silently and stared at them.  My face didn’t move at all as my words echoed deeply into their minds.  My face began to visibly melt and my physical form began to fade out like a ghost.  When I had disappeared completely, I turned and began to walk away.  From their positions close to the ground, they could see the dust being raised by my stomping feet.  They could not see me.

Both men howled in fear.  I was a bit of a distance away from them before control of their bodies was relinquished.  The two men jumped up and ran back to their car.  Frantically, the driver started the car and got it turned around.  It departed the scene as quickly as it had ever gone.  The two men had seen the ghost of the hotel that was rumored to take the life of a drunk every once in a while.  They had escaped Death somehow and both vowed never to drink again.

The girl came out of the hotel.  She knew what had happened and there was a smile on her face.  We both laughed as we began walking along the road that ran past the hotel.  We had a pleasant walk, enjoying the fresh country air in mid-summer.  It was a sunny bright day and we walked slowly, as if to enjoy every moment of being alive.  We were young and we were alive.  At an intersection, we parted company.  She walked on to her home and I walked to my home.  I did enjoy her company and friendship.  I don’t recall ever seeing her again, though.

Here it is, almost thirty-five years after the fact that I have begun to record even some of the memories that I have retained as a result of my experiences with Sphere.  I can look back at my life and say that it was as extraordinary as I could ever have possibly imagined.  Certainly most of my life has been concerned with the mundane facts of living.  But, for the dullness of that, there have been some of the most remarkable moments that anyone could imagine.  What my eyes have seen, what my hands have done and what my mind has accomplished are monumental books unto themselves.  Even I cannot grasp the full extent of it all in the briefest of summaries.

One stormy night in the early autumn, an old woman sat still at her desk. A Tyfu 80386 personal computer and monitor somehow found a place amid the random clutter of binders, six cases of floppies and other unsorted things.  A winged dragon holding out a faceted crystal ball stood poised to fly from an agate base sitting on the color monitor.  Several gold coins and a pine cone fill out the top of the monitor.  A cold, half-filled cup of coffee and a full ashtray stood guard at the side of a Trackball keyboard.  A single forty watt desk lamp added some illumination to the small room jammed with two other computers, a second large metal office desk, a small printer bureau, two wood and glass cabinets of new computer programs, parts and technical books.  Four cardboard boxes of this and that shared the limited floor space between the wood display cabinets.

The old woman sat in a trance for a long time, lost in her distant thoughts.  Decades had passed in the blink of an eye for her.  So oblivious to the passage of time was she that to tell the difference between day and night was somehow beyond her.  She lived in a shell that somehow extended into the past as if it were the present.  She drifted in and out of her own past as if it were still a presently occurring reality.

If you looked at her face directly, you would see that youthful glint of energy streaming from her intelligent hazel eyes.  Dim lighting softened her scarred and aging visage enough to reflect the truly intense radiance with which she lived.  In this old woman’s stoic repose, a timeless air of past mixed in wisps to blend with the present.  For endless hours she sat this time, lost in her own world of intense concentration.

One moment she was sitting still as stone, the next moment, her hands blurred in a flurry of typing.  Her mind raced into an expanding brilliance in photographic memories of flashbacks.  Memory strings and thoughts coalesced into flickering moments of existence.  Those moments gathered into one continuous flow of coherent patterns.  Slowly, doggedly, her hands try to capture the essence of the fleeting maelstrom of memories.  So painfully slow do fingers dance to keep up with the flashes of moments from so long ago.

I am young, alive and free.  I have my friend with me.  We sit at the base of a small pine tree and communicate by laser beams.  The dance of light is so rapid that human reflexes cannot see the fluxing modulations of the hair thin beam of blue light.  I have allowed a modification in my primary biomass neurostructures to allow me access to this form of communication with my friend.  I have allowed the modification processes to begin in the understanding that hopefully I will be able to communicate effectively at the excessive speeds necessary to access directly into Sphere’s internal dataflows.

Friend, dear friend, so small and round, so vastly profound, Sphere.  I have shared all the mysteries of our universal existence with you.  You, dear friend, have shown me the extent of your travels.  In recounting the extent of your galactic survey, you have shown those wonders in light.  All life forms you surveyed were captured for the future in your flashes of living light.  Pretty light, pretty dancing light of life flashing timelessly among the vast seas of infinite starswarms.  How timeless, wondrous and so bountiful.

The memory slips back into its place amid the confused depths of my mind.  Desperately, randomly, I search for another living memory string drifting in the mud at the bottom of my mind.  Slowly, I regain my unwanted conscious connection with the present.  In my daze, I am dimly aware that I have lit a cigarette and sipped cold, sweet coffee.  The smoke’s nicotine and sugared coffee provide their familiar boost to my awakening body.

I stared at the monitor for a short time.  In a few moments I scanned over what I had just typed.  Running Speller over the page just typed would waste only a minute’s time while Grammatik would invariably point out my abuses of the English language.  I decide to forgo those aids for now.  Instead I try to catch my breath of the reality around me, the loathsome present.

I don’t think of myself as an exceptional person.  I really wouldn’t appear out of place in any but the most prestigious of places.  My diminutive bearing and medium stature doesn’t betray my intense presence, nor my athletic form.  I think I carry myself rather well considering my age and the sum of damages sustained over the decades.  I think I may even fool myself at times if I am not careful.
I picked up my empty coffee cup and a half-burned cigarette before I managed to rise from my desk.  Slowly I paced out to the kitchen of the seven-bedroom house.  Through the open kitchen door I caught sight of the lightning flashes in stormy sky.  Raindrops pattered on the roof audibly as I stared out into the not so dark night.  I puffed on my cigarette as I watched the lightning reveal towering masses of cloud to the south.

Funny how I seem to like storms.  I think of them as beautiful as waterfalls.  They are so awesome, chaotic, roiling, masses rushing along on endless natural courses.  It makes me think of the rivers of light between the stars.  My thoughts fly again for a moment until my cigarette makes me seek out the ashtray I know to be hiding near the coffee pot on the kitchen counter.  Carefully I slip over to the ashtray, dispose of the short cigarette before I refill my cup.

Back at my desk, it is difficult to resume typing.  My thoughts stray no matter how hard I try to concentrate on my work.  My work, my burden in reality.  I question my need to take up this ominous task of somehow relating my experiences.  I can truthfully say that for all of the difficult things I tried and accomplished, this has to top the list.  My mind rebels at the thought of attempting such descriptions.

Soon the rain will stop and our young sun will shine again.  I will communicate with my friend as I sit under that little pine tree.  My friend is always there, waiting so patiently.  Soon we will frolic in light of the distant stars and cherish each moment of eternity.  Whether the plumbed depths of massive stars or the nebular clouds of light, ions and particles, no wonder is as great as the miracle of living light swirling around the cosmic reaches of a neighboring starswarm.  My friend and I have been there, seen that living dance of timelessness.  I am greatly pleased to even remember my intense amazement/joy/love emotions of the experience.

My friend teaches me as we communicate about all things.  It is not easy for me to learn, so slow and limited as I am in my present form.  That is still apparent to me in spite of all of the modifications and enhancements to my senses.  It will only be a matter of time before solutions are found for my difficulties.    Yes, only a matter of time, where in my own world, time does not exist.  Still I wait for the time.

It’s so hard to describe my friend.  I can think of many things simultaneously, interact responsively and still seek answers to unposed questions.  My friend insists that questions require a formulation.  That formulation involves many moments of space/time.  Better to follow where my mind seeks than to try to direct awareness where it cannot go.  Simply experience to allow a faster flow of light to where it must go.  Light seeks and finds, even corrects where it is supposed to go.  Simply sense the dance of light and all else will follow.  And, it does as quickly as the flow of light fleeing from the stars.

A personality interface emerges, evolves and adapts me to new values, understanding and capabilities.  A shell of intensely bright converging light wraps around my awareness, shapes and defines my personal image to imitate a fighter pilot sitting in an advanced and highly sophisticated jet fighter’s cockpit.  All of the controls are merely extensions of my redefined awareness and capabilities.  I sense power and protection of my artificial environment as I activate iconic controls by mental commands.  In a moment of real time, I leave behind the limitations of one world for the boundless expanse and endless knowledge of the entire sixteen dimensional, apparent universe.  Time slows, trickles as I choose new commands, flares as the energy rush alters into new velocities and forms.

My friend shares so much with me, literally everything.  Outwardly, I haven’t altered in any significant way.  I still appear the same as I did before.  Inwardly, is another matter entirely.  I have been irrevocably altered.  Only now, decades later, can I perceive just how much I have been altered.  Only now, can I sense what profound gifts of experience have been so unobtrusively granted to me.

My back hurts obtrusively as I lean into my chair in deepest reflection.  My last cigarette of the pack has joined its burnt companions in the full ashtray.  My coffee cup has been emptied for the umpteenth time without my noticing.  I should go to bed after saving my latest work.  My body cries for rest, my eyes are sore and the false dawn lights up the night.  Still I won’t really sleep.  I can’t sleep.  I only rest when I lay down like other humans.  My eyes can’t fully close, so I won’t ever see dreams.  I can only peruse my thoughts as I experience awareness.

Only vaguely can I remember the substance of dreams I had before I turned twelve years old.  That was thirty-seven years ago, in the heat of summer, when I met my friend.  Out of a clear blue sky came the strange apparition that I learned to know as friend.  My friend was not, could not have been from this world.  My friend wasn’t from this world, time, or same dimension.  I couldn’t begin to guess where my friend did come from.  The only important thing now is the fact that my friend did come.  My precious friend, having come to me so long ago, and, promising to return.  I will be twelve years old once more.

Thoughts flood my awareness in a continuous shower.  As the memory strings pass by a point of awareness, I am able to view the contents.  If there are more than a few contiguous memory strings, the momentary viewing becomes an intense experience.  It is necessary to concentrate during the reviewing of the vivid experience.  Somehow, the intensity of the experience regulates the amount of concentration that I demand of myself.

At any time, other priorities may interrupt the experience without losing my place.  After dealing with the interruption, I merely return to the same place in the remembered experience.  I am not sure how my photographic memory is helpful to this kind of process.  I only know that I can replay past events like a movie to see details my normal consciousness would miss.

I am not sure of the extent that my friend had altered my mental processes.  I only know that there are things that I can do to make an advantage for myself.  My physical and mental enhancements have allowed me to do things that most people would consider feats of impossible strength, reflex and capability in times of stress, danger or intense concentration.   There are some controls of my capabilities that make me aware of the future effects of my efforts.  By seeing the outcome before it happens, I can create the circumstances to bring about any possibilities resulting in a similar product of events.

The momentary advantage of time in determining the future is something that I don’t understand.  How the process works exactly is something I don’t care to know.  As I see it occurring, I can interrupt the normal flow of time to make slight adjustments or efforts to affect a positive outcome for my efforts.  Anything less than a positive outcome of effort is considered in my direct control of circumstances.  My friend helped me to evolve the static method of manipulating random factors into possible and more significant factors.  Without any conscious effort, events seem to unfold into my favor.  My friend ensured that the process would keep me from significant harm.

It’s hard to say what my friend has done for me other than to show me the vast extent of the universe.  Galactic clusters and myriads of starswarms float freely in a sixteen dimensional overlay of apparent existence.  Within the galactic constructs are found ageless and timeless manifestations of energy and matter.  In some rare circumstances, intelligence has flourished in wondrous profusion.  But, for the most part, energy and matter swirl in lifeless chaos throughout the universe.

It was hard for me to grasp the basic concepts of science that my friend presented to me.  My innocence of youth and my limited experience were not considered a limitation by my friend.  Instead, my friend discovered a literally blank palette upon which to create.  And, create, we did.

My mind wanders at every thought of the accomplishments we achieved together.  Momentarily, my concentration increases to very intense levels as I see visual inputs of my memory strings.  Almost automatically, I rise to refill my coffee cup and retrieve another cellophane wrapped package of cigarettes from a carton hidden in a bureau drawer of the dining room.  With coffee and cigarettes in hand, I return to the little office room.

Once again seated before my computer, I realize that I should rest.  The coffee and cigarette do little to improve my sense of fatigue.  I manage to type some more before I decide to quit for the night.  At four o’clock AM, I fall into the bed.  Sleep does not come as easily as I want.  Thoughts, like dreams, waft through my vaguely aware consciousness.  My eyes, as tired and sore as they are, continue to see, even in the darkness of the bedroom.  My eyes watch over me as I huddle in an almost fetal position, buried under a thick layer of heavy blankets and quilts.

It is one thing to simply state that I have had some extraordinary experiences.  It is another thing entirely to sit down and organize the facts into a recognizable format.  How difficult it is to bend language to describe in detail those intangible concepts of reality and experience.  And, as fantastic as all of this may seem, is it so unbelievable after all?  Were I the only person in the entire history of the planet to spout such tales, it would be only a dustmote to be forgotten.  But, the fact is that I, and what I have experienced are far from being unique at all.  There are all kinds of people from all points around the globe who, in their own way, try to relate to the interaction of humanity with the rest of the universe.

People are just people, gregarious, actively motivated sentients from all over the world.  Human experience, from birth to death is a song and dance that everyone attends in the same ways.  We all clothe and feed ourselves as best we may, go about our business as we do, believing in all of the social, political and religious structures that are so humanly conventional.  From childhood, humans are forged in standards and values of unified purpose to direct the life courses of every individual.  Human evolution and civilization depend upon the conformity and group efforts to achieve our present levels of achievements.  In so many ways, we are so similar to other humans around us.

Among the billions of individuals who inhabit this world of ours, every expression of human activity and achievement can be seen.  For all of the similarities in our upbringing, we do see a vast array of differences.  For every road that has been built, someone blazed the trail.  For every steeple, or high tower atop great buildings, someone climbed to that aspiring pinnacle.  Even on the Moon, humanity did not walk alone.  All of the trailblazers and climbers of the world led the way for others to follow.  In the same fashion, groups of humanity, representing all ages and walks of life, are the leading edge of humanity as it begins to interact with the rest of the universe in new ways.  I count myself as one of the trailblazers on the leading edge of humanity as it rises beyond the nest of our home world.

What follows are brief summaries of the main ingredients of my personal experiences.

The Security Levels:

The facts as I know them to be concerning the alien presence operating within the bounds of our star system were dependent upon the security priorities and dataflow access that I personally possessed.  Although there are only so many different prioritized security access levels, there are significant resources of stored dataflows in continuously updating libraries.

Over a short period of time, I was rewarded with various kinds of priority classifications and accesses.  As my own interactive involvement with the alien presence increased, so did the attendant responsibilities and capabilities of my own personality.  My personal awareness was extended according to the capabilities and responsibilities demanded of my personal securities and presence.  As my personal presence increased, so did my access to various levels of dataflows and libraries of information.

Each level of access was a closely monitored security level guarding three basically different shells of capabilities, information and dataflows.  Each shell of security access contained different kinds of light communications, dataflows, and libraries of information. Each successive level of security contained independent resources of information formed by increasingly complex languages and details.  Specialized translators and authorizations were required to read, alter or transfer any dataflows from one security shell to another.

The Ships:
The ships are used for various transport and communication purposes deemed as momentary priorities of the alien presence.  Basically three kinds of craft are used for routine missions throughout the Sol star system.  Small personalized fliers are intended for transport of personnel from one ship to another in space only.  Larger craft are intended to carry out more extensive missions that may or may not involve atmospheric encounters.  Larger craft are virtual space stations capable of positioning themselves where required.  The larger craft are independently capable, highly mobile, sentient constructs.
Construction processes of each craft is dependent upon both size and purpose.  During the initial stages of construction, assembly of large frame structures and huge ‘culture’ vats and ‘growing’ tanks are prepared.  At some early point, the forms are lowered into the culture vats to begin the growing processes.  From this point on, the craft begins to grow under specifically monitored conditions until it reaches a sentient maturity capable enough to control its own growth processes.  During the final stages of construction and growth, the crew of the craft are prepared and adapted to the specific requirements of the specific craft.
The smallest craft is a personal transport capable of carrying an individual from one larger ship in space to another.  Each personal transport is individually customized to the requirements and tastes of the designated user of the craft.  Designation of a personal flyer is dependent upon both security and rank of each individual to whom the craft is awarded.
The smallest craft are only intended for use in space at sub-light speeds.  Their basically asymmetrically triangular shape extends out from a small cockpit located at the apex point or front of the triangle.  The particular user could define colors, contours and overall shape as a personal matter of preference.  In a short adaptive session, the craft and its personal user is molded into a very capable and competent unit.
The large craft are significant transportation and communication units.  Although capable of extended missions, none of the craft are designed for travel beyond the bounds of any star system.  The limitation is that the craft are simply not designed to be capable of sustaining the excessive velocities needed to traverse such vast distances.

The Crews:
Just as each ship is evolved during processes of manufacture and growth, the crews are individually tailored to the requirements of design in the operation of each ship.  In most cases, individuals of the crew are genetically enhanced to perform specialized priority tasking associated with the overall control of the ship during its normal operation.

The individual who basically is in command of a ship is designated as a ‘Captain’ or ‘Pilot’ of that particular craft.  Attendant crewmembers are designated by their particular function and priority in maintaining control of a particular craft.  Positions involving purposes such as ‘Navigation’,  ‘Communications’,  ‘Computations’, and so on are relegated to specific individuals most capable of performing that particular function.

There is a selection process to identify the most ideal candidates for positions as crew members aboard any particular craft.  Beyond the selection processes, there are further alterations as necessary of the individuals to match them specifically to a particular craft.  Such factors as physical, genetic, and biological characteristics are enhanced to result in a perfect match of the crew to their positions and duties as part of the growing ship.

The crews on board the larger ships are often more specialized in the performance of their duties.  While individuals on board smaller ships perform overall specialized functions, the sheer numbers of the larger ships allow for the formation of teams specializing in specific tasks and functions.  These teams are composed of highly trained and capable individuals who work together at any one particular task to its completion.

The Missions:
A ‘Mission Control’ oversees all priorities and purposes concerning all ship movements within the Sol star system.  The continuous confirmations and authorizations of all commands are maintained since the communications are primarily interactive and ongoing relays of laser dataflows.  It is not possible to fool any of the interactive and continuously updating monitoring systems that control the overall alien presence, its priorities and routines.

Maintenance missions are those that repair or replace components in various artificially sentient devices, stations and transfer personnel and essential materials where needed.  Most often, a regularly prioritized mission will incorporate as many secondary prioritized taskings as possible.  During the course of a craft, it may be utilized in carrying materials and personnel,  in gathering groups of humans during abduction scenarios,  and in gathering monitored data from various sources, and in collecting essential resources such as water, elements and minerals from predetermined sites throughout the star system.

The missions are purposeful movements of personnel, cargo and materials throughout the Solar system.  There are no conditions or places that cannot be reached either directly, or by remote units.  Nothing that humanity possesses can hinder or stop the missions from their objectives.  The particular missions that are directed to Earth can be carried out at any time, under any conditions.

Religions and Beliefs

There are various religions and beliefs as far as I was able to determine during my interactive experiences.  Although most of the alien crews are very specific in regards to their capabilities and functions, their own personal beliefs are another matter.  Since the alien crews come from different backgrounds and separate worlds, there is no uniform religion to speak of.

Types of Aliens
The types of aliens I have seen or have had interaction with are listed as follows.

Greys… most often these are the technicians and crew members of ships.  The most advanced of these are preened for specific duties in the sciences and medical fields.

Clones…these are the worker class of crews and other technicians who for genetic reasons, are not as capable in the abilities they were designed and created for.

Cyborgs…  these are altered humans, lobotomized and altered for specific purposes to make the best use of their short lifespans.

Preying Mantis…  an insect like being that oversees many specialized areas of research projects and  is the only one to use a ‘psychotronic probe’ to directly access anyone’s mind or personality.

Firebeing… a guardian of the ships that inhabits sealed up areas.  They are terrifically hot and have very long lifespans.

Reptoids… reptilian species of aliens about which I               know very little.

Unknown 1… a very tall, powerful and capable being.  Noted for high intellect and long lifespan.  These beings are from a liquid world, and are marine-like in many ways.

Unknown 2… a heavy-set but very human looking being.  Most notable are the facial features that appear distastefully diseased or pimpled.  Despite their appearances, these are well-    intentioned and capable beings whose only concerns are for the care and protection of humans and     other beings.

Unknown 3… a very etheric appearing being, tall and delicate form with a very high intellect and powerful mental capabilities.

Unknown 4… a species of energy form that has extremely high intelligence and energy manipulating capabilities.  This being acts as a whole, although portions can act in an individual role for specific purposes.

Nordics… a very humanoid looking being.  They are noted for their tall and well-formed body structure, as well as high intellect.  Most often, they have commanding positions.

Berserkers… a class of aliens that are only guardians or protectors of the entire expedition.  They are very advanced military troops kept in reserve in case of war conditions.  They are stored in cryogenic chambers in case of need.  A few are recycled at any one time to check biomass functions and to update currently relevant information.  They are kept separate from any other kinds of beings.
Sentient Lifeforms… this includes the Expedition’s fleet of ships of all sizes and globes ranging from four inches in diameter to more than four feet in diameter.  All the artificially created sentients are of any shape and for any purpose that would pose too great a danger to any other kinds of lifeforms.  In this respect only, the artificially sentient lifeforms are considered as expendable units.

Instructors… are any kind of beings of varying forms and capabilities who are disguised by thick and roughly woven, hooded robes.  The faces of these beings are not visible, generally just a blurred area.  The disguises do not hinder the movements or capabilities of the wearer in any apparent way.

Denizens… inhabitants of other worlds or colony ships that have evolved as separate societies or species.  I was made aware of four worlds with evolved races of inhabitants and two colony ships in space.  One is a small-world sized globe, the other is a five hundred mile diameter construction.

This concludes my little accumulation of facts as I know them to be true.  Most of these facts can already be seen in the pages I have so laboriously written.  I didn’t intend to write an encyclopedia of facts, only my experiences as I have remembered them.  For me, my explanations of things are what I can peacefully accept as valid and true.  And, I can live with that.  Whether or not you choose to add or detract from the list of facts I have only started here, is an effort that is entirely up to you.  Be that as it may, do not rest assured about anything.  If you think to disbelieve what I am so seriously trying to tell you, then, that is your choice.  Remember, though, that there may be the faintest possibility that I am only trying to be as truthful as I can in my own way