Episode VI -- Ancient Histories

Premiered 20 March 2009

Multiple Choice -- Episode VI

Ancient Histories

David entered an ultramodern, but sparsely furnished briefing room where two chairs were arranged to face each other across a table with built-in computer screens and controls.  The only lighting was on the table. As he approached one chair, Evyr entered from the opposite door.  She quickly joined him, taking the other chair.  Without a word, she approached the computer, using a keypad to enter her identifying code.  David watched her, until his computer screen lit up and began displaying her evidence. Evyr looks expectantly at David, as the first of various real and computer generated images lit up the console screen. And then nothing... until David finally caught on.

“Uh… You may begin,” he said, as per his authority in this particular room.

“Thank you, Sir,” Evyr dutifully replied.

The computer screen began displaying graphics showing three dimensional grid lines on a computer-generated view of Earth. Evyr started her presentation.

“Using a standard Lansingstoke-Heraldry 31-C Procedure, I was able to pinpoint a continuum coordinate some three hundred years ago, an event occurring in an unusual stellar location. The star system in question had a planet described only as ‘earth’. This ‘earth’ was apparently a three dimensional construct.”

“Three dimensional,” David asked?

“Yes, Sir, I know. Very unusual… and quite frankly, difficult to even imagine. But the evidence is extremely persuasive.”

“And how does this affect us?” If David knew anything it was that one didn’t actually have to know anything to be in charge. All that was needed was the ability to ask questions and let someone else… aka an underling or subordinate, slave, or serf… charge into the breech, aka the gaping hole in most arguments and their knowledge base.

“That was my original question,” Evyr replied as she gracefully accepted her role in the hierarchy. “Access to additional dimensions is of course strictly controlled and limited to individuals who have demonstrated their worthiness for such an honor. But these ancients appeared to be unaware of the potential benefits of such dimensions. It seemed to me to be incongruous for such limited beings to have any effect on our history. But nevertheless, it seems clear that they did. Perhaps you’re aware of the Paatal Legend?”

“Yes, of course,” David bluffed. “But what is your interpretation, and how does this involve the… Ta Ra Nee?” David, sad to say, was really becoming accomplished at the ability to carry on such charades of camaraderie.

“My limited understanding,” Evyr answered, “is that the Legend involves eleventh dimensional beings who decide to conduct some kind of ‘Grand Experiment’ by separating consciousness and thereby limited themselves to a world of three spatial dimensions. It certainly sounds fanciful, I will readily admit, but the stories of the ‘Masters of Limitations’ do permeate the galaxy. That factor alone leads me to believe that there’s at least something to the legend that might be factual.”

After just a moment, she added, “Let’s face it: we’ve worked with far less factual data and as SpinMeisters, have created much more elaborate scenarios as the truth.”

“That,” David said, inwardly grimacing, “I am well aware of. But these so-called ‘Masters of Limitations’…”

“The term is just a reference to the fact that in such a limiting, three-dimensional universe, they were still able to accomplish so much. These beings, if we’re to believe the legends, were living less than a hundred years, and yet were able to live what we might consider to be multiple lifetimes… learning at a prodigious rate, making enormous spiritual and philosophical strides. Technologically, the…”

“And you think,” David interrupted, “that this anomaly was due in part to some beings from the…?”

“Eleventh dimension,” Evyr answered. “Yes, Sir. I can’t say I believe it, but it is part of the Paatal Legend.”

“Incredible,” David replied… quite genuinely. But he had not yet begun to become perplexed. That was next. A rapid sequence of scenes of UFO attacks similar to David’s dreams and his experiences in the future began to appear on the computer consoles. Evyr began to summarize the happenings.

“This planet, ‘earth’, at the time of its effect on the Ta Ra Nee’s particular time line, was apparently invaded or involved in an interstellar conflict. They were either under attack, or they had simply found themselves in the line of fire.”

“Invaded?” Now David was concerned. Had his fantasy dream been more than a… nighttime fantasy?

“It’s a possibility,” Evyr answered, apparently unaware of David’s shock.

Suddenly, David was having nothing of it. “No, no, I don’t think so.” When Evyr had stiffened as if waiting for her murder verdict, David added, “Too much of what we might call history from these ancient times were nothing more than fantasies, tales, and stories to entertain. You’re taking them literally!”

Evyr might have been well advised to simply agree with her superior, but she momentarily forgot her position. She quickly answered, “But it is well established that dreams, fantasies, and the like are forms... admittedly crude and awkward ones... that allow reality to be created accordingly. Furthermore, many so-called fictional stories have been shown to either predict, prophecy, or influence future history.”

David felt himself in a corner. Evyr was probably right in some way. The world might even have figured out a lot more about this creating reality than David had ever thought about. The fact that the reality they had apparently created was so abysmally dismal, did not detract from the thought that some consciousness might have reached whole new levels in making things happen. There was also the necessity for one’s created reality to interact with other realities. There was indeed power in numbers.

When David did not reply, Evyr tried a slight redirection of the conversation. “The only motivation I’ve been able to construct is that perhaps the technologically advanced interstellar groups, the UFOs who instigated the conflict, were somehow vitally interested in the DNA of the earth’s principal, conscious creatures.”

David guffawed. “You’re kidding!”

Evyr reacted to the skepticism of her superior by straightening her posture and trying to appear professional in extremis. Swallowing hard, she continued.

“No, Sir. They may have believed the legends of the Grand Experiment and realized that the Earthling’s DNA might include the incredible powers of the Paatal! At the same time, if the Earthlings were utilizing only a small portion of their DNA or brainpower, then they would be vulnerable and ripe for harvesting. The Earthlings’ DNA could be expected to have enormous latent reserves, be available for the taking, and as such, would represent an incredibly tantalizing prize!”

“This is unbelievable,” David replied.

Evyr could hardly raise her head to answer the dictate of her omniscience superior officer. Very quietly she said, “The Paatal Legend does not have to be true. It is only necessary that the invaders believed it to be true.”

David finally picked up on Evyr’s distress. “You are correct, of course. Still…”

For a moment, David just leaned back, shaking his head from side to side.

Evyr, feeling just a little bit better… her arguments had, after all, been called ‘correct, of course’… She looked at David for several moments.

“Perhaps, Sir,” she finally divined, “You’d prefer we continue this in a nature setting? I assume you might be more comfortable with that.”

Suddenly, David set up and looked at Evyr with an increased interest. “What made you say that?”

Evyr again felt the sense of interrogation. “I don’t know, Sir,” she pleaded. “I certainly did not look at your personnel file… I’m well aware of the penalties for such unauthorized access. But for some strange reason, I just knew you liked nature. A rare trait, I will admit. But still…”

“Well, you’re right,” David conceded. And for the frosting on the cake, “Again.”

Evyr smiled slightly. She might learn to love cake. “I can request a nature setting, if you like. We can then adjourn to it at a later time.”

David smiled. “Yeah. Good idea. Let’s do exactly that.”

Evyr did some quick manipulations on the computer, as David watched, his mind racing. Then she smiled slightly, and stood up.

“It will be available at time thirty-seven point five. I can meet you then.”

“Fine. Meanwhile, I’ll stay and review your other evidence.”

“Yes, Sir! ‘The Many Serve the Few; The Few Serve the One!’”

Evyr saluted, turned, and exited, while David just looked amazed.  Then he turned back to the console and began scrolling through the computer information.  A sequence of scenes appeared on the computer screen showing some of the same scenes from the Pentagon briefing, intermixed with other views of Earth, crop circles, footage of UFO sightings, and other apparently anomalous activities.  Also included were supposedly historical clips and sequences from what… as it turned out… were science fiction movies – many of the latter scenes eliciting a knowing smile from David, as he recognized movie stars and plots. But other scenes that appeared to be more historically legitimate, quickly wiped the smile off his face. Humanity had taken a serious detour in that lifetime.

David stayed at the console for some time, his emotions alternating between naïve amusement and dismay at the direction his fellows (and he) had taken. Finally, at one point, he interrupted the sequencing and leaned back to think… one finger touching his lips, with the opposing thumb supporting his chin. He sighed heavily. Then a distracting thought took the small window of opportunity to enter his mind. He straightened up.

“Computer… location of Apprentice Evyr?”

The computer console displayed a flashing dot on a floor plan layout. David looked at it with the same comprehension he normally reserved for his appraisals of elementary particle paths in a spark chamber experiment that had gone seriously awry. Then he got smart.

“Take me there,” he ordered.

Unfortunately, the computer was just a bit smarter. “Transport limited to Upper Echelon Levels only. Subject is in an unauthorized zone.”

“Fine,” David conceded. Take me as close to Apprentice Evyr's’ location as you can. Consider this…” time for the big bluff… “an override.”

Okay… so the computer was not a poker player. The door in the briefing room opened, and David was on his way.

Episode V -- Spinmeisters