Miscorrection Trilogy

By Desmond Shepherd

The Karhath, an oppressive organization that hopes to achieve power over the six-planet solar system, has one man standing in their way. His name is Daniel. Despite his grand visions and nobility, the Karhath refuse to let him win.

With their power achieved, nobody can stop the rise of their empire. However, a rebel group called the Diamonds has a plan to search out alternate realities where the Karhath have not gained power. Using this information, they hope to put things right for mankind.

But unknown to the Diamonds, one of their members sees things differently. His name is Jago. When he comes to understand how important it is that the Karhath stay in control, he’ll stop at nothing to make sure history’s course remains the same.

Embark on a journey of power, alternate realities, and through time in the complete Miscorrection trilogy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Benjamin C. Young
• Release date: Jan 18, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301306428

Desmond Shepherd

Desmond Shepherd is the author of many novels and short stories, including the emotionally gripping tale Imaginary Me and the episodic series The Permanent Man. He writes for your enjoyment, to stimulate imagination and to provide an escape from your everyday life. He thanks you for reading the fictional journeys he writes.Desmond resides in an old farmhouse in the Philadelphia suburbs with his wonderful wife and three children.

Book preview

BOOK I

MISCORRECTION:

PRELUDES

SUNRISE

The day started as any other day would start. The alarm clock rang at 5:00 a.m., and I got out of bed, putting on my slippers. I enjoyed waking up before the rest of the world because it was peaceful and tranquil. I went down to the kitchen to make my morning coffee and turned on the holovision.

Good morning, David, the holovision sounded its usual greeting in the morning.

Good morning, Alice, I would always respond. I’m not quite sure why I named the H.V., but I did. No one knew about this except for me. I only referred to the H.V. by name when no one was around.

Do you want to watch your usual morning news? Alice asked.

Of course. But, Alice, please be sure the volume is low. I’m sure Danny forgot to turn you down last night before he went to bed, and I don’t want to wake him yet, I responded.

As I made my coffee, the news started with its usual chime. An image of the news anchor projected onto the barstool in the kitchen.

In today’s headlines, a key Karhath member says one day there will be people in his party that have prominent positions in government. A winter storm in autumn? Our forecasts say yes! And in local news, a Bradsbury Township woman is fighting for her right to decorate the outside of her home as she chooses. But first… I couldn’t help but chuckle. Sometimes I would wonder if it was a slow news day or if someone working at the station just had a good sense of humor.

As I looked out the kitchen window, the news anchor’s voice faded in my ears, and I reflected on how much better things had been recently. In the past year, some horrible things happened. They were hard for my grandson and I to bear. Losing my son, Darius, and daughter-in-law, Sandy, tore me apart. But I knew for him it caused a torment I couldn’t begin to understand. But we made it through them. While we could not change the past, and it would no doubt always affect us, at least now we managed it much better.

The bell rang on the coffee machine, signaling it brewed the coffee. I poured my cup and sat down to watch the rest of the news. Yes, I loved the mornings. At 54-years-old, I needed that slow wake up period to prepare for the day, and the events that day required all I had.

***

Danny. Danny, I whispered as I tried to get Daniel to wake up. Danny, time to get up?

Daniel slowly shifted in bed, and he started to open one eye then closed it. They still needed some adjustment to the light around him. Finally, he opened both eyes and looked at me.

Morning, Grandpa, he said.

Good morning, Danny, I replied. Did you sleep well last night?

Kind of. I had a dream about Mom and Dad, he told me.

He frequently had those dreams. His parents’ death haunted him. He would often dream they were alive again, taking him to his favorite place to eat or playing his favorite games with him. The first six months after they died were tough on him and me. Often, in the middle of the night, he would wake up crying. I would console him when that would happen, but I’d cry, too. His parents were wonderful people and ones we would always miss.

Is everything okay I asked him.

Yeah…yeah I’m okay.

Good, because today we have some plans. We’re going into the city to Central Market.

Can we ride the FloCo? Daniel asked with an excited tone.

Of course we will! Now why don’t you get up, get dressed, and have some breakfast with me. I made your favorite.

Pancakes with blueberries?

Yep.

I left the room while Daniel got up to get dressed. He was a good kid. At ten-years-old, he had endured more than most children his age. It made me happy to know I could be there to help him and support him through the tough times. We had grown close over the past year. While he needed me to help with the healing process, I needed him just as much to do the same.

Daniel came downstairs for breakfast, still rubbing his eyes awake. I had prepared pancakes just as he liked them. I did more than just pour the blueberries on the pancakes because I liked making them fun. So sometimes, I would form a face with the blueberries. Other times I would make an interplanetary ship. It depended on my mood and how well the creative juices flowed.

Wow! Daniel exclaimed. That looks like a sunrise.

My creativity flowed that morning. I had taken the blueberries and carefully made a sunrise coming up over a large mountain. It was probably the best pancake and blueberry work I had ever done.

Yes it’s a sunrise, Danny. Do you like it? I asked.

It’s great! Daniel said.

Daniel began to dig in to his Sunrise Pancakes. I joined him in eating breakfast. Sometimes I would do things on purpose in order to use it as a tool to teach Daniel. So the pancake masterpiece had a deeper meaning behind it and I had a point to make.

You know, Danny, when I see a sunrise, I think of something. It’s something you should always remember.

What’s that, Grandpa? he asked.

No matter how bad things may appear or how bad they really are, two things will happen. On the one hand, the day will end, the sun will go down, and it’ll get dark. The moons will appear in the night sky, along with the stars, and it may get cold depending on where you live. But at the same time, you can always count on the next morning. You can always count on—

The sun rising? Daniel interrupted.

Maybe I had made my point a little too clear, or maybe he expected these little talks we had. Either way, I’m sure he didn’t know what my analogy meant.

Yes, the sun rising. The point being, no matter how bad things get and no matter how horrible you feel, it’ll pass, and things will get better. What was your dream with your parents about last night?

Daniel stopped eating as he thought about my question.

Well, I can’t remember the whole thing now. But we were in our car and we drove somewhere. I remember in the dream being excited. Mom and Dad kept telling me I would be so surprised— he paused as he recalled what happened in the dream.

Go on, I urged him. Try to remember the rest.

So the next thing I remember, we pulled up to a house that I had never seen before. We went up to the door and rang the doorbell. Do you know who answered the door? he asked.

No, who? I asked back.

It was you, Grandpa. He smiled. But then his smile went away, and he said, Then I wasn’t sure what had me so excited. He laughed.

Ha-ha, very funny, I said. You see how there is a brighter side to things? Just like a sunrise waking up a dark night. In your dream you were with your parents. While you can’t be now, you have me to help you.

Grandpa, are you saying you’re a sunrise? I think you need to get over yourself.

He laughed again. Boys will be boys. Sometimes Daniel would listen to what I had to say with seriousness. But that day, while I think I had gotten my point across, he just wanted to have a good time. That is exactly what I wanted him to do. It encouraged me to see him in such a good mood. For too many days sadness filled our home, and recently the happier days outnumbered them.

Ok, Danny. Finish up your breakfast. We’re going to catch the hover to Central Market. We don’t want to be late.

***

The hovertrain arrived at the stop at 10 o’clock. Daniel and I entered and sat down near the front of the train. We sat next to a window, because Daniel enjoyed looking outside as the train moved. The tone sounded warning passengers the doors would close, and the hover would start moving.

I sat there with Daniel looking out the window. As the hover began to move, a snapshot of a picture outside the window turned into nothing but a blur. We had three stops before we reached Central Market, but we would still be there in 20 minutes.

As I stared out the window, my eye’s focus changed from the outside to what reflected in the window. Other people looked out the window on their side. Some who stood looked out the window on my side. One individual didn’t do either, but he appeared to look at Daniel and myself. I watched him in the window reflection. The way he acted made me uneasy.

He was a tall man, probably about my age. Gray hair reached his shoulders, and his face had no expression. It was as if he thought deeply about something, and at the same time he couldn’t stop looking at us. As I turned around to ask the man if I could help him with something, Daniel interrupted my attempt.

Grandpa, he began, why’d you want to go to Central Market today anyway?

Oh, because there are a few things I need to get, and I thought it would be fun. We haven’t been down there in a while, and I figured you would want to go and have some fun. I kept my gaze on the windows and watched the man to see if his focus on us changed.

Oh, ok, Daniel said.

My suspicions began to grow stronger. He acted odd just standing there and looking at us. My nervousness stemmed from all the recent activity from the Karhath. The organization terrorized people in one form or another. They didn’t always use outright violence, but through the fear they instilled, most people viewed them as a violent group. Like bullies, they’d use some well placed pressure and solid punches to the shoulder, and the people’s fear and imagination did the rest. If this man was part of them, I wondered why he appeared to single us out.

As I attempted to turn and speak to the man again, the tone sounded on the hover, signaling it arrived at the next stop. As all the people shuffled in, those on board adjusted where they sat or stood to accommodate them. Once everyone had settled, the hover moved again. I scanned the area to see if I could find the man but didn’t see him. Either he had moved to another position on the hover or had gotten off at the last stop. Either way, I didn’t allow it to worry me at that point.

How long until we’re there, Grandpa? Daniel asked.

Well let’s see, I glanced down at my watch, In about five minutes.

***

As is always the case with Central Market on weekends, people crowded the area. A lot of people go there to eat, shop, and enjoy some recreation. I planned on doing a little bit of everything with Daniel.

So what are you here to get Grandpa?

I want to check out Chief’s, I told him. Maybe he has some replacement parts I can use to fix our clothes cleaner.

Why don’t you just get a new one or get a robot to fix it? he asked.

Daniel asked me that all the time. Most people today left the mundane tasks to the robots built to handle them. Most people didn’t repair broken appliances or make their own coffee anymore. They had busy lives and didn’t want to be bothered with that stuff. But I found a therapeutic element to fixing things myself or doing a task some might consider mundane. I enjoyed the satisfaction that came with knowing I did it myself. Most people didn’t understand what I meant when I tried to explain it to them. They’d just nod their head and say, Oh, when I told them.

Because Danny, it’s good sometimes to do it yourself. It’s good to get your hands dirty a little bit. When we get back home you’re going to help me, and you’ll see what I mean.

Oh, was all Danny had to say to that.

After a three minute walk from the hover, we made it to Chief’s. Maybe Daniel didn’t understand why I would want to fix something myself, but he always loved Chief’s because it had gadgets and tools. Daniel didn’t know much about the tools, but he liked looking at them. Chief’s store was a dying breed, and it remained in business because enough people enjoyed this hobby.

Well good morning, gentleman, Carl said. What can I do for you today?

Good morning, Carl. Good to see you, I said.

Morning, Carl, Daniel said, as he looked at a box full of old tools.

So how are Davy and Danny this morning? Carl asked.

We’re doing great, but we won’t be if we can’t put on some clean clothes, I joked. It looks like the water dispersement regulator malfuctioned. It’s an older model machine, but I thought you might have the part I need.

I had taken the part out at home and concluded it broke. I pulled it from my pocket to show Carl. He examined it, somewhat in a trance. I’m not sure if he just familiarized himself with the part or looked for a part number etched on the piece. Either way, he always found what I needed.

You’re not kiddin’ that this is an older model. I’d say this part was made at least 50 years ago. You know, David, I love catering to those who build and fix things, but 50 years ago? They have clothes cleaners today with no moving parts. The odds of them breaking are slimmer than you walking outta here and seeing the Karhath attack Central Market.

But Carl, if I get one of those, I’d have nothing to fix, I said.

Very true, he laughed. I’ll check if I have anything like it. Can you come back in an hour or so?

Not a problem. Danny and I are going to catch a bite to eat and go on some rides. We’ll be back around one or two o’clock.

Sounds good, Carl said. I’ll have the part ready for you then.

Carl retreated to the back of the shop to figure out the part. If he couldn’t find it, he’d build it. I turned around to leave the shop. As I looked out the window at the front entrance, I saw the same man from the hover. This time, he didn’t stare at me, but he held a device. He touched a few buttons on the screen and look around cautiously. Then, he resumed using it.

Grandpa! Daniel exclaimed.

I jumped a little as he had disturbed my concentration. He had called me two times prior to me hearing him.

What is it, Danny?

Can we get something to eat? I’m really hungry.

Sure, sure. No problem, I said and looked back to the man outside, but he had left.

Then we’ll ride the FloCo, right? he excitedly asked.

Yes, we’ll ride the FloCo.

***

We decided to eat at a cafe right near the coaster called The FloCo Café. Not an original name, and I didn’t expect the food to be either. As I expected, the menu had foods named after the FloCo in one form or another, like the FLOrito and FLO Fries. But that didn’t matter. When you’re hungry, you’re hungry, the food’s name doesn’t matter so much. After we ordered, we went to our seats and waited for our food.

Let’s sit right where we can see the coaster, Daniel said, excited.

Okay, I said.

We sat at a section of the cafe with glass above and beside us. I couldn’t see the coaster at the moment, so our view looked out into the sky. We continued looking up, waiting for the moment when the coaster would pass.

Suddenly, screams of people approached. It was the only noise the coaster made. The screams became even louder until finally the coaster came into view. It looked like the coaster would plunge straight through the glass above us and onto our table. Just before that happened, it straightened out and sped away from us. The screams trailed off into the distance.

Daniel asked to play on the playground in the cafe while we waited for our food. As I watched him play, my gaze turned from him as a man sat at the table right next to me. It was the exact same man I had seen on the hover and outside of Chief’s.

Excuse me, I said to the man. Do I know you from somewhere?

He turned and looked at me. He didn't seem surprised I had spoken to him. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he expected it.

I don’t believe so, my friend, he said. He looked down and continued eating his meal.

I only ask because I saw you on the hover. In the window reflection, you seemed to be watching my grandson, Danny, and me. You looked at me like you knew me.

Well, I’m sorry, my friend. You don’t know me. Well, I guess you do now. If I stared at you, I apologize. I didn’t mean anything harmful by it.

My paranoia had gotten to me. I felt sorry I suspected the man’s motives. I associated him with the Karhath, and I shouldn’t have done that.

I apologize sir—

My name is Jack, and no problem, he interrupted.

Sorry, sometimes my thoughts get the best of me. I even imagined you were part of the Karhath for a moment. Ever since my grandson’s parents died, I tend to be suspicious of people. I apologize. I felt bad for what I had assumed. I tried not to do it, but it would happen all too often.

I’m sorry to hear that. Do you mind my asking what happened? Jack asked.

It surprised me he would ask details about something so personal. But I had accused him of something that would have offended most people. So I decided I would tell him what happened—plus I’d learned every time I talked about it, the pain healed a little more.

Well, it happened a year ago. Danny and his parents were on vacation. There’s nothing special about where they went or what they did. But while there, a horrible accident happened.

Where was this? Jack asked.

At Bungkor Beach on Ptolomo, I answered.

So what happened? The story intrigued him, but I couldn’t guess why.

Well, by the way Danny describes it, they left the hotel room to go outside. As they stepped outside, there were these bright blue flashes of light. Kind of like lightning. The flashes were everywhere, and they tried to find cover from the incident. Now maybe it was just an electrical malfunction in the area, but it is peculiar. Danny describes it like those flashes of light didn’t destroy randomly.

How so? Jack asked.

Danny says at one point the blue lightning engulfed his parents, and when the light went away, they were gone. Nobody ever found them. They just disappeared from existence.

"That is odd, Jack said. You said you suspect an attack?"

"Yes. The fact that it pinpointed them seems too coincidental. Not to mention only Danny saw the attack. While the resort he stayed at is secluded and designed to allow for privacy, others were there. But no one claims to have seen the blue flashes. The authorities said Danny fabricated the story. They suggested it was a way for him to deal with the fact that his parents took him to Ptolomo to abandon him. Jack appeared to hang onto every word I spoke, like he took mental notes of what happened. But the way Danny describes it—so vivid with detail—I believe him. Part of me wonders if the Karhath are responsible. But I know that’s crazy talk because they wouldn’t have technology like that. Something that can pinpoint what and who it wants to attack and destroy. Then the second reason is why would the Karhath pinpoint insignificant people that are opposed to them. There are plenty more who feel the same way or worse than Danny’s parents did. So as every good conspiracy goes, you can believe in it, but you can’t necessarily prove it."

I’m sorry to hear about your loss, Jack said. If I could have stopped it, believe me, I would have. I appreciated Jack’s words, and he seemed sincere.

42, came the call over the speaker system. That was our number to pick up our food.

Thanks for sharing that with me, my friend. Things will get better. But sometimes, they have to get worse first. I’ve always found, no matter what happens in life, if you stay positive and exert your strengths in that direction, much good will come from what you do and what you already did.

Thank you, I said.

Be seeing you, Jack said and left. I appreciated the stranger’s concern about the situation and his positive outlook. It wasn’t always easy to look at things that way. He was right about keeping that point of view. It really does help with coping with any given situation.

Can I go get the food, Grandpa? Daniel asked.

You better believe it, I said. Make sure you grab some napkins while you’re up there.

***

After lunch, we headed over to stand in line to ride the FloCo. As expected, the line was long. From the point we got in line to the time we got on the ride took 40 minutes. Daniel didn’t seem to mind at all. He had ridden the coaster one other time, but still couldn’t wait to ride it a second time.

I didn’t mind waiting either. Carl had called me after we ate lunch to let me know he couldn't locate the part for the clothes cleaner. But, just like I expected, he would build it from scratch. He needed two hours to get it ready. So I had used that time to stand in line for 35 minutes to go on a ride that lasted only two.

How do you think this thing works, Grandpa? Daniel asked.

Well, it’s not how I think it works, but more how it actually works, I began. If you look, there are markers all over the path the coaster takes. Some are attached to the buildings around us, and some are attached to pylons. Those little markers put off a magnetic pulse directly opposite to the markers on the coaster’s bottom. The pulse pushes the coaster, guiding it in every direction it goes. It works a lot like the hover does.

But not near as fun, Daniel said.

You’re right about that. The difference is the FloCo has no roof, is not very big, and it makes quick turns often. So even though the hover travels faster, the FloCo feels like it has more speed.

We finally made it to the front of the line. We got into the two person car that would soon be speeding off. Passengers boarded the ride two at a time, and we sat in the front of the coaster, allowing us to get a good view of Central Market as the it creeped forward.

As passengers boarded, we went higher and higher. I looked around and could see Chief’s from our height. As I continued to scan the area, I saw Jack. He stood near the cafe and held that device again. He looked at it and then surveyed his surroundings. He then looked up towards the coaster. His eyes caught mine, and I waved my hand at him. I thought he wouldn’t recognize me from that distance, but then I got confirmation he did. He waved his hands and ran towards the coaster entrance. I couldn’t make out what he said, but it appeared to me he tried to tell the operator to shut it down. But the operator didn’t stop the ride, and we sped off without warning.

The coaster rose 60 meters high. I looked at Daniel and could see the excitement on his face. The first drop was the biggest and most exhilarating. At the moment when we went down, fear and hesitation set in. But then the thrill of speed had me laughing and joining Daniel as he screamed with joy.

At the top of the crest, the coaster came to a complete standstill. The cars behind us hung upside down, with just a few in the back still in a position to come over the crest. After a few seconds, the coaster pulled us all down, making its quick descent. We screamed and waved our hands in the air. After making two quick turns, we went up another hill. Because we didn’t have a visible track in front of us, we didn’t know which way we’d go next. It made the ride that much more exciting.

As we approached the second hill, the entire ride changed in a way even the designers never intended. Below us there was a flash of blue light, and I realized the flashes looked exactly like what Daniel described in the attack that killed his parents.

While I became afraid, the coaster didn’t care. Moving extremely fast, it made its way down the second hill. We headed straight towards the FloCo Café, where Daniel and I had stood earlier, when the blue lights flashed and struck again. The flash hit a couple magnet markers in front of us, disintegrating them into nothing. Our car, in the front, fell through the invisible track heading towards the FloCo Café. I grabbed Daniel with my arm and pulled him down below the cars field of view hoping that would protect us. We crashed through the glass of the FloCo Café and our car hit the ground.

The ride’s fail-safe partially activated, and the other cars behind us stayed on the track course. Even though it activated, the coaster didn’t stop moving. Our car remained connected to the other cars, but since we were not on the track, we hung with the nose of the car dragging on the ground as the coaster maintained its speed. I looked outside the car and the flashes of blue light hit everywhere.

We pulled up into a loop of the coaster. It slowed along the crest, resulting in our car flipping around and sitting on top of the car behind us. People screamed all around us. Many ran from the location of the coaster. Those who didn’t get away in time, were hit by the flashes and they disappeared in an instant.

Danny. Danny, are you alright? I yelled.

Daniel lay motionless. I shook him and tried to wake him up. I noticed blood pooled in the car, and I feared the worse had happened. Tears welled up in my eyes as I reached to pick him up.

Unfortunately, the coaster had not come to a complete stop yet, and it moved around the path of the loop. As it made its way downward, our car flipped back over. It moved slowly and got caught on something that flipped us upside down. Fortunately, the restraints kept us from falling out of the car.

Without warning, the restraints in some cars released. All the safety measures for the ride were failing and it appeared like a predetermined progression. Some people in their cars hanging upside down, fell from their cars when the restraints released. Our restraints also released. Before we fell to our deaths, I grabbed Daniel and gripped onto a metal lip within the car. It took all my strength to hold Daniel, hanging from my left hand and to keep my right hand hanging onto the car.

I watched as a few people fell. Each person that fell never hit the ground. Before they could hit the ground, the blue flashes would grab them, disintegrating them into nothingness. The strikes were not random. They were targeted, and I knew I didn’t want to be one of their targets.

David! David! Someone yelled my name.

I looked down and could see Jack. He waved his arms at me.

David, I’ll be right there. Hold on. I can get you down, he yelled up to me.

I didn’t know how he expected to get us down. The only way I saw to get down consisted of dropping to our deaths. Sweat formed around my hands and fingers, and my grip on the car slowly loosened. I knew I couldn’t hold on much longer.

My head turned down to look at Daniel below me, who I gripped with all my might. I could see where he hit his head, splitting the skin open and allowing blood to flow out. Even if I got away from this alive, I worried about what would become of him.

As I looked at Daniel, tears rolled down my cheeks, and something in my blurred vision came up to us. The tears made it difficult to figure out what it was. Then, when I did see it, I couldn’t believe it was Jack. He moved upwards toward us. How he did it, I’m not sure. The commotion around me became subdued in my mind as I concentrated on him. There were no sounds of a motor and nothing attached to him, hoisting him towards us. He just floated.

Don’t look so stunned, my friend, he said as he approached. I’m here to help.

At that moment, my grip began to slip. The sweat forming on my hands acted like oil used to lubricate an old machine part. My hand released from the car, and we began our plummet to the ground below us. Jack almost reached us when we began our descent and headed straight towards him. I thought he would open his arms and try to catch us, but he didn’t. Fear grabbed me and I closed my eyes to prevent seeing the ground approaching.

After a few seconds, an odd sensation hit the back of my neck. The thought of slamming on the ground below didn’t concern me because I stopped falling. My eyes opened and Jack stood in front of me. I loosened my grip on Daniel and smiled back at him. Before I could thank him, he motioned his head downward.

I looked down in horror as I realized we were still in the air. Quickly, I looked up and our upside down car was above my head. Daniel! I had let go of him thinking we were on the ground. My gaze turned back down and beside me; my heart beat quickly. Jack had him in his arms safely. He caught him when I let go.

Hurry, Jack said. We need to get out of here now, before we’re noticed.

I didn’t know how I could hurry. After all, we were high in the air, and I had no idea on how to get down. Jack began to descend. Almost like a bird diving for prey, he went straight down and at great speed. I couldn’t figure out how he did it?

"Just think down, David!" he yelled up to me.

Two thoughts crossed my mind. First, I never had given Jack my name, and yet he knew it. Second, I thought exactly what Jack said—down.

Immediately, I moved downward with nothing attached to me, nothing touching me. But I could feel myself being pushed downward, just like riding the coaster but I could control it.

Below me, Jack had made his quick trip to the ground. Just before he made touchdown, his speed declined and he landed gracefully. It looked perfectly natural. My thoughts remained on going downward but at a slower speed to ensure a soft landing.

After I landed, Jack, still holding Daniel, ran towards the coaster’s operations panel. I followed him, and as I ran, the flashes of the attack appeared to dwindle, and it all appeared to be ending.

We reached the operations panel, a small room attached to the front entrance of the coaster. The door into the controls had been left wide open, inviting anyone to come inside. I assumed the ride’s operator, upon seeing the attack, fled the scene as quickly as possible.

I didn’t understand why Jack wanted to enter the room. It made more sense to get as far away as possible. But he appeared confident, so I followed. He entered the room with Daniel, with me two steps behind him. The inside of the room had a large window with tinted glass. Despite the tinting, those outside could still see us, and this seemed to worry Jack.

Get down, he whispered. We need to make sure no one sees us.

Was he nervous? Was he scared? He laid Daniel on the floor, still unconscious, and slowly oozing blood from his head wound. I needed to get him medical attention, and Jack would be it. He pulled out a device; the same one he looked at outside of Chief’s and before the coaster took off. I hadn’t seen anything like it before. It was round and silver and looked a lot like the Kwon moon. He grasped each side and then it opened outward. A small screen on the device with symbols and letters turned on. Jack touched areas on the screen, and it shifted to another assortment of words and numbers. After a couple more seconds, a yellow laser came from the device.

Jack rolled Daniel onto his side, exposing the break in the skin on the back of Daniel’s head. Blood dripped out like a faucet you can’t fully turn off. He pointed the yellow beam towards Daniel’s injury and slowly ran it over the back of his head. At first, I wanted to stop him, but before I said something, an amazing thing happened. The wound on Daniel’s head closed up! The bleeding stopped. When Jack finished, the injury had disappeared, aside from the fact that blood residue clung to Daniel’s hair and clothing. The device’s ability to heal Daniel stunned me. I’d never seen anything like it before.

He’ll be okay, Jack said. Even though the wound is healed, he’ll still feel the effects of hitting his head. Most likely, he’ll wake up with a pounding headache.

How’d you do that? I asked. I’ve never seen anything like it.

It’s called a verstometer or a V.M., and believe me, it’s not easy to build. There isn’t much in the way of high end resources around here. It took me a few years just to make it. Now, thanks to you, I’m going to have to build another one all over again.

Jack’s statement confused me. Why would I be the cause of him having to build another one of those devices? Before I could ask him, he turned around to the control panel that operates the FloCo. Using the V.M., he pushed more buttons on the screen. The security camera footage of ten video feeds came up in front of us. The device projected all the images up into the air.He rapidly touched more buttons on the screen. At once, all the video feeds showed footage of Jack, Daniel, and me. After touching a few more buttons on the screen, I watched and we were flawlessly eliminated from each video.

Hurry, Jack urged me. Pick up the boy and follow me.

Now wait a minute, I said. What is going on? First, you float up to us to save us. Then I’m floating, I somehow control my descent, then you heal Danny and take us out of the security feed. You need to explain what’s happening here, because I’m confused.

Jack looked at me with a somewhat disturbed expression. There was a sense of urgency in his body language, and he sighed a deep breath.

I’ll explain whatever I can, but first we’ve gotta get out of here. There’s a two minute window to get from here to an area without a surveillance system, otherwise we could be tracked.

Whatever happened, I determined that Jack had our best interests in mind. Rather than push the matter further, I took him up on his offer. I reached down to pick up Daniel. I didn’t expect him to be so heavy and knew I couldn’t hold him too long. At my age, picking up dead weight like that did not feel good.

With Jack in the lead, I followed him as best as I could while carrying Daniel. I moved slowly, and fortunately, Jack didn’t try to outrun me. He slowed down a bit before he got too far from me. He must have been confident we could make it to wherever we were going before our two minute window closed. But I didn’t feel the same way. I couldn’t carry Daniel and run much longer.

We blended in with the crowd, as they too ran away from where the attack happened. Jack led us on a winding path around many buildings in Central Market. Just before I could run no longer, he stopped at the back entrance of a building. From what I could tell, there wasn’t anyone near us.

OK, he said. This spot should be good. The surveillance equipment is sparse in this area, and if any of the cameras see us, it shouldn’t matter since we’re away from the center of the attack. Are you okay?

I’m out of breath, I said before taking in a big gulp of air, and thoroughly confused. But otherwise, yeah, I’m alright.

At that moment I just wanted to get some answers. Many strange things had happened in the course of 10 minutes, and I knew Jack might understand them.

I told you I would explain to you whatever I could, Jack volunteered. First, the technology. I built it all myself. The V.M. and the anti-gravitational mind chip. That’s why you’ve never seen it. No one has this technology because I’ve made it all for my personal use.

Oh, I said. The only other advanced technology I knew of before like that involved the death of Daniel’s parents. But there, in front of me and around me, I saw more technology no one had ever witnessed. My mind drew a conclusion from what Jack told me.

Did you know the attack would happen? I asked. The possible answer made me nervous, but I had to find out.

Jack’s expression didn’t change and he didn’t answer immediately. But when he did, it scared me.

Today’s events had to happen. If any good is to come of anything, today had to take place.

You’re a part of the Karhath, aren’t you, I accused. Anger built up inside of me. The loss of my Darius and Sandy filled my thoughts. I was about to lunge at Jack to attack him when Daniel moaned. I turned my head and he hadn’t woken yet.

Jack, you know what I’m thinking, right? I have a right mind to report you to the authorities. Why shouldn’t I?

That’s simple, David. I saved you.

But why us? What makes us so important to save?

Jack took his time with the answer to that question, as if he decided exactly how he wanted to say his next words.

Today’s events had to happen. Sometimes, through horrible tragedy, good things rise to the surface. I saved you because I talked to you. Yes, I knew what was coming on the FloCo. But meeting you compelled me to reach out and stop you from receiving what others would experience. There’s always a sunrise, David. Remember that. It is even possible one person can make a difference. No one wants to see any more of what happened today again. But I’m afraid more will take place. If there isn’t any bad, then no one will realize what is good. You can be a part of fixing all of this. There’s one path and no one is going to change it. They may think they’ll need to change it. But they can’t. This is how it has to be.

Jack’s words baffled me. Clearly, he belonged to the Karhath. But a reluctant member? A traitor to the group maybe? Perhaps he was mentally unstable, as his prophetic style of wording had suggested.

"There are two other things, the first is do not go to anyone and mention the experience you had on the FloCo. No one can know you were there. All surveillance has been cleared, and there is no record of you being near the FloCo at the time of the attack. The second thing is never, no matter what the circumstances are, mention the attack on Daniel’s parents. It obviously was brushed over at the time as being a boy’s imagination dealing with a tragic event. But now, that won’t be the case. Neither you or Daniel should speak of it again. Make sure he knows that.

I have to leave now, Jack said. After I go, walk around to the front of this building and everything should be okay.

Jack stood back and pulled out the V.M.. He opened it and pushed a few buttons. A bright light began to emit from the device and grew bigger and bigger in a spherical shape around Jack. As the light began to engulf him, he looked at me and said Be seeing you. Then the light imploded on itself, and Jack disappeared. Only his clothes and the fried V.M. remained.

An attack like the one that had happened had a particular method of operation. Carry out the attack and destroy the evidence. The biggest piece of evidence was the one who carried it out. I had no doubt he had killed himself.

The thought crossed my mind to report what had happened to the proper authorities. But I realized that may not be the best idea. Jack destroyed any evidence of us being at the scene, and only two reasons could be deduced from that—either I made the whole thing up or knew the attack would happen.

Grandpa, Daniel said as he woke up, what happened? My head hurts.

The thought crossed my mind. Do I tell him what happened or not? Telling him could put his life in danger. I decided to tell him the truth, but withhold the information that could have the biggest impact.

You hit your head hard on the FloCo and passed out. Do you remember it happening?

Kind of, he replied. We were going down towards the FloCo Café and you covered me as we headed down. I thought the ride scared you or something. But then, I don’t remember what happened. He rubbed his head where it hurt and blood rubbed off on his hand. He saw it and his face had a stunned look of worry. Am I okay?

You bumped your head during the ride, but I checked it, and it should be fine. I said, and that seemed to calm him.

I was drained and just wanted to be home to recuperate from the day’s events. Daniel still seemed somewhat disoriented. Why don’t we try and catch the hover and get home. I’m sure we could use the rest.

I decided to take Jack’s advice. Even if he was part of the Karhath, he was correct. With the proper encouragement and education, Daniel could be the one to make a difference among the planets. With today’s attack happening, the Karhath had stepped up their agenda. I wasn’t sure what this would do for their cause. But I knew I didn't want it to prosper.

Hey, don’t we have to pick up that part at Chief’s? he asked.

Yeah. But I think we’ll skip that for now and I’ll let Carl know I’ll pick it up another day.

With my help, Daniel stood up. We began our walk to the nearest hover stop. We went around to the front of the building and stepped out into the open. Central Market was extremely busy, and everyone appeared to be attempting to leave, no doubt fearing another attack. We had a long waiting time to board the hover. While we waited to board, I contemplated if one person could make a difference. Maybe I could, or maybe Daniel could. Maybe it would be someone else. But I knew all things needed a beginning and without someone to guide it, I could never really know how it would end.

ARROGATION

Before John left, he was very explicit. None of us knew exactly what was going to happen or what profound affect it would have on our cause. But John made it very clear what was to occur during his absence.

Do not, under any circumstances, do anything, he strictly warned me. There is a method to what we are doing here, and it must be planned out appropriately. He paced back and forth during his speech, taking in the full width of the room.

He had asked me to join him in his Meeting Room. It was a comfortable and expansive room. Pictures hung on the walls showing scenery from unpopulated areas of the six planets. I was sitting at a table that sat in the middle of the room with plush chairs surrounding it. John continued pacing, and I continued looking up at him as he talked.

I had gathered that John was leaving for a while. At the time, I even wondered if I would see him again. And I wanted to listen to him. After all, he and my grandfather were the ones who had begun all of this together. They had seen the need for change among the planets and had the forethought to make a plan that would help bring them to fruition.

While they both took the lead, my grandfather ultimately was in charge. And John did not seem to mind that. They worked together as a great pair. Like two feet walking, one helped the other to keep moving. And things were going good.

However, the circumstances did change. My grandfather’s death nearly six years earlier caused a shift in power, and John was now in charge.

But I could not understand why we were to just do nothing while he was on leave or sabbatical or whatever it was called. All great causes need action. And we sure did give them action. I am still not quite sure how he pulled it off. But to lay dormant after all this time seemed insane and contrary to positive action.

Do you understand me? John asked. He was adamant about this as if any wavering on my part would have catastrophic consequences.

I understand what you are telling me, I told him, but I don’t understand why. How long will you be gone?

Just long enough for you to want to deviate from my orders. He smiled.

John, you know I trust you and have confidence in your reasoning. But do you think my grandfather would have felt this was the best course of action? That would wake him up and help him to see that moving at a snail’s pace with decisions and deeds would take forever to accomplish our goal.

John paused. The words hit him. Well, at least I thought they did until he spoke and he sounded more frustrated than anything else. His tall frame indicated he did not appreciate what I said. As he turned to me, I saw the years on his face that had aged him. The gray hair, the smile lines, and wrinkles on his forehead all pointed to a life of determination and that nothing was going to change now.

"Your grandfather and I both had a vision. And we were carrying out his vision. But I’m in control now, and while he and I agreed on many things, there were better ways that I felt we could reach our destination."

And there it was. He was in control. Hanging that over my head four years ago worked. And after the event took place it continued to work. But now, all this time had gone by and we had seen nothing of John. No word from him. No communication.

"Listen, I know this is hard for you and difficult to completely understand. But I trust you to carry out my wishes. You may be only 20 years old, but you have a smart head on you. You know what we are working towards, and we’ll get there. I promise you.

It’s very important that you follow my orders. You are the only one I can trust to be in command while I am away.

Instantly, from that last statement, my whole demeanor changed. John trusted me. He needed me. There were plenty of other options to choose from at the time. But he was choosing me. A 20-year-old kid with little experience, and someone over 30 years older than me wanted my help. At the time, I appreciated his trust in me, and I did not want to let him down.

Remember, John said, "I will know if you do any differently. And if you do, I’ll be there. Any attempt to go contrary to my orders will result in failure. But I know you will follow them, and there is nothing to worry about." As he said this he put his arm on my shoulder as a signal to let me know of the confidence he had in me.

So I accepted his offer and told him he could depend on my adhering to his orders. I would maintain control and lay dormant until his return. My only task was to recruit and create a groundswell of support. But being so young and inexperienced, I did not take into account that my feelings would change after just four years. My feelings were the thing that pushed me to do and plan something bigger than before. Now I was in charge.

But John left with his trust in me and that I would carry out his command. He made his way to Cormos, as was planned. And I knew he made it and succeeded in what he set out to do. The attack on Central Market was all everyone on the six planets talked about at the time. And the name of the Karhath would never be forgotten.

***

The tone sounded signaling that someone was at my door. After some time, I had gotten used to this. Slowly, over the years, others began to feel the same way as me. Was John coming back? They did not know and they did not care. For the most part, I felt that I was the face of leadership to them now.

Come in.

The door slid open, and my most important advisor walked into the room. Samuel was about 25 years older than me. His experience showed on his face, which rarely cracked a smile. His hair was cut short and dark. It was apparent that there was a time when he was physically in shape, but over the years that converted over to a less desirable form. Even if physically he wasn’t the man he used to be, there was no doubt that his experience was beyond mine. Though this was the case, he did not let that affect the fact that someone so much younger than himself was his superior.

Sir, preparations are just about finished, and we expect to be ready within 18 hours, he said to me, standing at attention much like a military soldier.

At ease, Sam, I tended to have to play the part of my position and say things that I felt were mundane and campy. Why don’t you have a seat? The chef is bringing me something to eat. Do you want anything?

I’ll have whatever you are having, sir, he said.

Samuel sat down opposite me at my desk. The room was far from the Meeting Room John used. For several reasons, we had moved the headquarters of our operation to another location on the planet. The accommodations were cramped. My Meeting Room was the same place that I slept, bathed, and lived. Needless to say, the room was cluttered with papers, clothes, and uncomfortable furniture.

Reaching out my hand, I tapped the communications link on my desk. Gloria, please bring an extra meal for my guest. He’ll have what I am having.

No problem, sir, was Gloria’s reply over the speaker.

So is there anything else to report on our progress, Sam? I asked Samuel, getting back to the matter at hand.

Nothing out of the ordinary. Given that the scope of this operation is considerably smaller and less complicated than before, I don’t see us running into any problems. Samuel’s expression showed some concern. While the operations and setup for the next day may have been going smoothly, I could tell from the expression on his face that there was something troubling him.

Good, good. Sometimes things like these can go just as planned. All the technical aspects can be checked and doubled checked. Equipment can be examined for functionality and have no problems. As a matter of fact, everything on paper looks to be just as it should. But— I paused in an attempt to let Samuel know I was going to open a path for him to discuss what was on his mind. That was if he wanted to discuss it.

Yes, sir, he said.

Please, Sam. How many times have I told you, call me Aaron? We are friends here. You are the best person I have to advise me. Without your insight and encouragement, I never could have made it after what occurred on Cormos.

Sorry, Aaron. It’s a force of habit. You were saying.

But sometimes there are aspects you can’t control. Parts that you cannot be totally sure of. Surely what happened after Cormos told us that.

Samuel knew exactly what I was talking about. John had succeeded in an attack on Cormos. It was an amazing display. The blue flashes of light. The pinpoint accuracy of the attack. No one expected what came that day. John only told us something would take place that would solidify the Karhath name. We did not know what was coming or what would take place. But John had something up his sleeve that we had never seen before or since that time.

Knowing that he was leaving me in charge, I had attempted a parallel attack on the remaining five planets. John did not know anything about this. Each of these attacks was to happen in succession shortly after the event on Cormos. But they never came to their culmination. Somehow each of the planned bombings never happened. Oddly enough every single bomb had failed to detonate.

However, despite the failed attempts, the attack on Cormos reverberated throughout the planets. And even though the bombs on the other planets had failed, news agencies somehow got a hold of that information and let it be known. One successful attempt and five failed ones was enough to make the impact that was needed.

I don’t want failure this time, Sam. So if there is anything on your mind that concerns you, please tell me, I said.

Samuel shifted in his seat. Clearly something was troubling him, and he wanted to be sure to word it in a way that would not affect me negatively.

People have been talking, he said quietly, as if someone was listening in on our conversation. They are concerned. Everyone here knows what John said. Nothing was to happen in his absence. We were to lay dormant and gain support while he was gone.

So what has our Groundswell been talking about?

Some are questioning what we are now doing. John said do nothing, and yet tomorrow we are doing something. This has been going on for a while, but in the end, you are in control, and they are respecting that.

Well that sounds like a good thing then to me, I said with confidence. Some in the Groundswell may have felt we should follow John’s orders. That was to be expected. However, when all was said and done, they were following my orders. They knew who was in charge. They would carry out what was asked of them.

Yes. It is good. But I fear what may result if for any reason this attack fails, Samuel said.

What do you mean? I asked. After having just told me that everything looked ready to go and that everyone was going to carry out the plan even if they did disagree with it, I was not sure why he was still having doubts.

You remember what happened with the planned attacks on the other five planets after Cormos? You took control and tried to carry those out behind John’s back. Everyone knew he would be gone for a time and wanted to show you support. But the fact that they failed affected everyone. It brought into question your ability to lead them.

This was true. For a brief period of time, I thought someone would try to usurp the position that John had given me. If not for Samuel, it would have happened.

Yes, but many of our Groundswell now were not even a part of our group at the time. They don’t even really know who John is. Those doubts are hidden in only a small percentage of the Karhath. I said with confidence.

But people talk, Aaron. I’m sure just about everyone knows about what happened. And now, if the plan tomorrow fails and you couple that with disobeying John’s orders while he’s been gone, I fear what it will mean for your position.

The repercussions of failure no doubt worried Samuel because a letdown could mean the end of my authority. And with the end of my authority comes the end of Samuel’s position as my advisor.

Listen, Sam, we’ve been through a lot together. You’ve supported me, stood up for me, and defended me. If not for you I would have been gone a long time ago. And I trust that what you have helped me coordinate will succeed.

The tone signaled at my door. Gloria entered the room. She was a striking woman. Her hair was dark and long with her skin and height being much the same. She smiled at Samuel and me as she placed our meals on my desk. After confirming that everything was as it should be regarding our meals, she turned to walk out of the room. I watched her as she walked towards the door. Just before she left the room, she turned her head and looked at me. I smiled slightly. She winked one of her dark brown eyes and proceeded out of the room.

A moment of silence overtook the room as we began eating. Even the most important conversations needed to take a back seat to the needs of the body.

I appreciate your words, Aaron, Samuel said with a slight smile.

You know every one of them is true, I reassured him.

I keep thinking, he said. John’s words to you were very clear. Don’t do anything. Gather support. He said it would be a while before he returns but then doesn’t give a timeframe.

I play those words over and over in my head too, I told him.

"All signs point to him not surviving the attack he