The Atlantean Chronicles

By Kip Hartzell and Thomas DeHay

This book was inspired by my fathers dying testomony, and if you love sci fi, your going to enjoy this. Please read the authors note for clarification.
AUTHOR’S NOTE

My father, John Hartzell, died on February 2, 1997. It was the saddest day of my life. He was a kind, compassionate man who always did the right thing and it didn’t seem fair that he had to suffer for more than ten years with Lymphoma. The chemo finally took its toll when he was away on business. I received the call that he had been hospitalized with what was thought to be pneumonia but was later diagnosed as chemo-induced Leukemia.
The doctors told him there was nothing they could do and that he probably only had a couple weeks to live. The family was devastated. He was too sick to drive or even take a flight back home to Las Vegas. With the end so near, everyone who knew and loved him, contributed what they could and chartered a private medical jet so he could be with his family during his final days.

The aircraft landed and an ambulance immediately rushed him to the hospital. Pop’s Oncologist told him he could try a radical new chemo treatment if he wanted but warned that it was so strong it might kill him.
My father was a fighter and chose the treatment. I was used to seeing him on the verge of death but somehow knew that this would be the last session of treatments and tried being strong for the family. I spent every waking hour in the hospital with Pop. I would see the rest of the family almost daily as each came to visit. It was heartbreaking watching my grandmother witness her first-born son deteriorate.
When the treatments were finally over, we patiently waited for the results. The news was bad—the procedure hadn’t worked. Hospice personnel showed up and talked with my father while I sat in the lobby. After an hour the nurse came over and gave me a hug.
She said that Pop told her to come back in a few weeks. By then he would be ready to go with her. I broke down in tears. She tried comforting me by adding that Pop had said that his boys (my brother and I) weren’t ready to be without a father just yet and he needed time to prepare us.
It took me an hour to compose myself after hearing this. And I finally came to realize that I had to tell Pop he’d suffered enough. Now it was time to just let go and die.
I went back into that hospital room, ready to tell my father he could let go...we’d be okay. But before I could get a word out he asked me to go down to the gift shop and buy a pad of paper. I did as he asked, thinking that he wanted me to write down his will.

When I returned, he told me he had been having flashbacks for years about another life he felt sure he had lived. He started at the beginning, dictating for hours. This was the real story of Atlantis and the origins of mankind. What he said blew my mind. He never sounded crazy or drugged during the next two weeks. I was astonished that he never lost his place or repeated anything he had already said.
I asked many questions—all were answered without hesitation. When he finally reached the end of his story, he fell asleep.
The next day the Hospice nurse came back to check up on him. He told her he was ready to go. At that point, he was barely conscious.
I rode in the ambulance with him. He awoke along the way for a couple of seconds and asked where he was. When I told him he fell back to sleep.
My father spent the next two and a half days at the Hospice. He died at five o’clock in the morning on February 2nd. But before he died, he made me promise that somehow I would get his story published. He believed every word he told me to be true. And now, having had years to think about it...so do I.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hartzell DeHay
• Release date: Jun 21, 2011
• ISBN: 9781458055248

Book preview

Chapter One

Dreams

Beep…beep…beep…

John Rodgers couldn’t ignore the sound as he lay there staring at the shadows dancing on the ceiling as if reaching for his soul and then retreating just as quickly. The sound of the heart and oxygen monitors was maddening. The IV dripped all so slowly into the line at a hypnotizing pace. Every time he moved his hand he felt the all too familiar tug of the tape that held the needle that permeated his wrist and hurt like a continuous bee sting. The machines stood guard, humanity’s contribution to observing and extending the life of people who are already dead and just won’t let go.

John lay there with the faint glow of the TV reflecting off the single large windowpane in his small room. He had turned the sound down so he could concentrate better on the memory of his dreams for a short time before the medication overwhelmed him again either by making him sick or knocking him out of his reality altogether. The smell of the antiseptic mopping of the floor still lingered in the air from where he threw up his dinner earlier.

Was it the pain of the disease, or was it the many different color drugs that made him dream so vividly? The dreams appeared in his vision as a three dimensional video, streaming along in sequential order from the point they started.

Beep…beep…beep…

He thought he had gotten that sound out of his mind, but there it was again. He asked the nurses to turn it off, but they refused stating that they needed to hear it from the door as they passed by. He gave out a sigh as he electrically moved the bed to a more upright position so he could see the TV. He shifted painfully in his bed and wondered if he was losing his mind as well as his life.

He didn’t mention it to the doctors, but no matter how many pills he took he couldn’t suppress the dreams that haunted his sleep. The images were always there waiting for him. He knew from his own experience with nightmares that when he woke from a dream it would fade away quickly. But these dreams were so clear that when he woke they felt as though he had lived them, as though they were memories etched so deeply into his consciousness that they were part of him.

Lightening streaked across the dark sky outside the open-curtained window as the dull rumble of the thunder shook the window. Another flash showed trees being whipped about as the southern Nevada flash storm intensified. Rain lightly splattered the window and ran down like an oil painting in the desert sun. Rain. When was the last time he’d felt rain? He struggled to remember in order to stay awake as the lightening flashes came more frequently.

His collection of one-of-a-kind crystal skull artifacts reflected different color lights from each lightening strike. The hollow eyes on the half dozen or so skulls all seemed to be watching him to see what his next move would be. But all he could do was stare back at his collection that had taken him half a lifetime to find. Although most people thought they looked frightening, John found comfort in their presence.

He remembered his son, Christopher, asking him what he would like him to bring from his home. He quickly mentioned the skulls and Christopher brought some of his favorite ones that very day. He smiled, without his son seeing, at the sight of him handling the multicolored skulls as if they were going to bite him. He placed the larger ones in the back and the smaller ones up front very carefully onto the cabinet to face his father, as he directed. Once the arrangement was complete and his son went home for the night, John felt more at ease as if he had guardians protecting him. Which seemed to work because ever since they arrived the nurses visits became a lot less frequent. This suited him just fine.

John had been in the hospital for a week and he hated it. Chemotherapy treatments for the cancer were harsh at best. He could handle the radiation better than the chemo, but neither was pleasant and he would daydream about going home. He had lived a long life. He was not proud of all the things he had done, like most people he knew, but he was satisfied with many of the things he had accomplished.

He pulled the covers up to his neck, it was always cold as death in his room. Hopefully death wasn’t as cold. He lived in the desert for the heat. Maybe he wasn’t meant to go to heaven, hell might be more to his liking. He often wondered if it was just time to let go and die, after all he was old at this point in his life, self evident by the gray hair that littered his pillow every day.

He wanted to stay awake a little longer, but he could feel them coming again as it did in the last few days. Dreams, flashes of latent memories, or visions. He was at their mercy and could do nothing but watch as they returned as suddenly as they would disappear.

Oh no, here it comes again, John said softly to himself. The room began to darken and fade only to be replaced by a long balcony and two men by his side. He noticed an outside atmosphere complete with the fragrance of trees and flowers along with the sounds of birds all under a dome.

The two men stopped him in front of a gray door.

Chapter Two

In The Beginning

Rizz-Anna was pacing in her stateroom aboard Colossus. The ship, which was the largest of its kind, had become home for the ruling Council and their families. She knew the day was fast approaching and dreaded the thought. They would all be leaving their home forever. Most of all she hated saying goodbye to her lifetime friend, John-Athain. He had one of the brightest minds their planet, Terrah had to offer.

The suite door slid open; she stopped pacing and put her hands behind her back while John-Athain, a young man of sixty years, walked forward. His strong features, tanned face, neatly trimmed black hair, and deep blue eyes, seemed worried. The pressures of authority were wearing him down. He marched into the light gray, undecorated room leaving two security personnel behind.

Halting, he looked at her and smiled.

Rizz-Anna was not surprised with his behavior since this was the way he usually greeted her, always trying to catch her off guard. Don’t smile at me as if nothing is wrong, she said, teasing.

Hello Rizz, how are you? He always admired her fair complexion and green eyes. It was rare for humans of Terrah to have eyes that color. Most citizens looked like John.

She studied John-Athain with her hands on her hips. Her long sandy hair partially covered her right eye and hung down her back. Her gray ankle length dress had bold black stripes that ran the length both sleeves, signifying rank. Standing at six feet, five inches she was average height for a female on Terrah.

She finally relaxed and moved toward him, taking both of his hands in hers. John, please reconsider. Come with us. You are a scientist; you know Solest is going supernova. It’s only a matter of time.

John moved to the large window and looked down and to the left at Terrah. The ship’s relative position to the planet put Colossus at a higher orbit than the rest of the fleet. Wispy clouds filled the sky casting shadows over large portions of the blue ocean. The land was brown from solar activity. Coronal mass ejections are becoming more frequent, he noticed. The situation is more deadly by the day. Doubt crept into his mind, he quickly pushed it away. He watched hundreds of ships on the horizon. Shuttles, support ships and transports flew about like bees in a hive.

Exactly why you should leave.

John took a deep breath. I can’t. All the Followers of Enlightenment still believe knowledge and technology joined with hard work will solve this crisis. We cannot just run away from our home like frightened children.

Rizz-Anna’s temper flared. You fool! I’m sorry John. I care for you and Helen-A. But you and I grew up together. You chose Helen-A over me and I understand. You both were always better suited romantically than we ever were, that was in the past. I care about you both. Think of the future.

John-Athain smiled at his friend. I know. I know, that’s the only reason I agreed to this meeting.

So…you’re determined to stay?

We had a meeting yesterday and unanimously agreed to stay. There is some research that we have been pursuing that looks very promising, John explained.

I hope.

So do I. I also wanted to thank you in advance for leaving as much of the plant and animal specimens as possible. This will go a long way in repopulating once we succeed.

Optimistic to the end, she said as she walked toward him with her arm stretched out. Here, I want you to have this data chip. It contains the route we plan to take to New Terrah. The scientist believe Solest has one hundred and fifty years before going supernova. That gives us plenty of time to avoid the radiation burst and shock wave acceleration that will hopefully never catch up to us. We should be established by then and if the next generation wishes to follow, we will make sure they are welcome.

You know that giving me this information could be misconstrued as treason, he said taking it from her.

Perhaps, that’s why this is just between us. Our launch date is within the next few weeks so if anyone changes their mind they will be welcome.

Gracious to the end. You and I both know that there are no more ships and very little room on the existing ones. With the exception of a few remaining shuttles, we are planet bound for a while. The lack of resources left behind will also make it difficult, John replied.

The needs of more than seven hundred and fifty million citizens must take priority. It’s just simple math. Believe me that these were not easy decisions to make, can’t you tell by the gray hair I’ve grown? She bent to show him the crop of new hairs.

They stood awkwardly silent for a few moments. Well, I need to get back to Lemuria. We are expecting some test results on our Re-hydrogenation of Solest’s corona project. He put his hands up to his heart and steepled his fingers together bowed slightly and said, Knowledge and happiness my friend Rizz-Anna.

She replied, May knowledge and peace follow you eternally my friend John-Athain.

John released his gaze and then did something uncharacteristic; he gave her a long embrace. Finally breaking the connection, he stepped around her and left the stateroom as tears ran down her face.

The door slid open to reveal the same two security guards dressed in the same type of olive tunic and pants, the only difference was the telescoping stun stick carried on their belts. Obviously not happy he was there, they silently walked along the main observation deck. John stopped for a minute to gaze across the ship. The Grand Meridian Park was planted with trees, and ponds populated with every variety of fish. From his vantage point he could see for miles. The forest provided much needed oxygen while creating an environment for animal species. The smell mimicked the great outdoors, bringing back memories of Terrah’s past. The artificial wind blew the tops of the trees as he saw a herd of deer dash across an open field. The sound of birds chirping caught his attention. It truly was magnificent. He couldn’t believe that this environment existed in space.

Stepping into an elevator, one of the guards pressed a sequence of buttons, which set the capsule in motion toward the hangar bay. They stood in silence until the door slid open and John-Athain walked through the gigantic hangar bay and boarded his obsolete transport leaving as quietly as he’d come.

John buckled himself into a seat behind the pilot as he steered the shuttle through Colossus’s hanger bay making sure to buzz the last row of shuttles. John didn’t say anything about the parting gift. Banking left, and starting their decent into Terrah’s atmosphere, John could see clearly out the transparent steel windshield. The planet once lush and alive was now dying, covered with brown areas as big as continents. A brownish gray haze belted around the equator. Volcanoes could be seen erupting everywhere; still the planet silently rotated along its invisible axis as if nothing could stop it.

John-Athain’s pilot was busy with the controls. He was about the same age as John just a little taller with a darker complexion and distinctively larger nose. He wore the same olive color tunic only his had silver stripes down each side of the sleeves to signify pilot status. His head was shaven and had a glossy shine. John didn’t know why the man didn’t like hair, but hadn’t thought it important enough to ask. He noticed that his executive officer, Drof-Avion, was deliberately avoiding conversation. Drof said his call sign and location for landing sequence over the comm, he pressed a few buttons and the shuttle’s autopilot took over smoothly.

Drof-Avion swiveled his chair and turned towards John-Athain. All right, out with it.

Out with what? John acted surprised.

Oh come on, is she still pretty? Is she going to leave us any extra resources? When are they departing? Drof stopped to take a breath.

Alright, alright. The resources we have are all we are going to get. They are leaving in a couple of weeks, and yes, she is still pretty. There’s not much else to say other than we are truly on our own from now on.

They sat in silence as John contemplated his future on Terrah with the last fifteen million of his people. He knew in his heart that they could overcome any adversity given enough time.

Ten days later the fleet left. Ships began their exodus silently slipping out of orbit, becoming new star dots in the night sky. There was hardly even a goodbye heard.

Decades rolled by as scientists, engineers, and common workers struggled to meet the demands of the ruling Council. The Hydrogen Infusion Plan was designed to reintroduce hydrogen into the core of Solest, increasing nuclear fusion through a series of steps. The problem was the capture and insemination of enough hydrogen to reverse the sun’s aging affect. Everything ages and dies, but like a human life, they figured Solest’s could be prolonged. Although hydrogen was the most common element in the galaxy, capturing or producing, then transporting enough to do any good before it turned to helium, would be a monumental task. Part of the plan was to design a magnetic field generator to pull in hydrogen within the sun’s realm of influence to infuse the core. But a shield for the generator had not been produced that could withstand the massive disturbance and temperature of the star. This experiment met with little success, but led them to other areas of study. One such by-product was Condensicon Dispersal Field that when mixed with a host of other elements created a spatial ripping effect. Propulsion engineers were excited about possibilities of new engine designs. They tried many experiments that only led to frustration and desperation. Solest expanded, continuously pushing Terrah’s orbit further off course. Terrah’s climate became more and more unstable as the years passed.

John-Athain’s son, John-Anee had just turned five years old when the Auctorial Terrahquake hit five hundred miles north of Lemuria. The city of Theria was destroyed, more than a million people were missing or dead. When John-Athain received the news he was devastated. He had many friends and distant relatives living there. He went home and picked up his wife Helen-A, then went to the local commune where their child and many others were being educated and taught the ways of the Terrahanians. The older and wiser of the people; usually grandparents or great-grandparents would take the children and teach them while parents pursued knowledge and enlightenment. The parents were always allowed to visit. This had been the way of the Terrahanians for millenniums.

John-Anee began showing an exceptional aptitude for science and engineering. In between classes, he would sit and watch his parents pore over data chips; they listened to his ideas, respecting their son’s intelligence as he grew into a young adult. This went on for years.

One particularly hot day when John-Anee was twenty-five, he was preparing for his graduation from the commune. His father came to visit. John-Athain looked at his taller son and smiled at the man he had grown into. Lean, dark hair and very tan from working outside. His demeanor was caring and honest, sometimes too much so.

They sat in John-Anee’s boardroom and were discussing the plight of the planet when there came a knock on the door. John-Anee walked to the door and answered. He immediately recognized several Council members.

Hello John, is your father here? asked Cen-Arius, head of the Solest Observation Bureau. Known for his love of food, he was not exactly the picture of health.

Yes he is, please come in.

For the next half hour, John-Anee sat there stunned at what he was hearing. The Observation Bureau began describing the doom that was to befall the Terrahanian society.

Honored John-Athain, I won’t stand here and waste your time. I have serious news to explain, Cen-Arius said as he handed him several data chips before John-Athain could stand up.

John-Athain offered them a drink. They politely declined as he inserted the chips into his son’s computer console and began reading the material that quickly scrolled across the screen.

I can summarize the findings, Cen-Arius said rudely interrupting John’s reading, continuing before he could react. Our present rate of technological advancement combined with the Settlers leaving with much of our resources has crippled us. I estimate, at our current rate of progress, Cen took a deep breath, it will take at least a century to come up with a viable solution.

John-Athain quickly noticed Cen’s use of the word I instead of we. It revealed a lot about the man. It’s a good thing our life spans are twice as long as they were a few centuries ago, John-Athain quipped.

Cen-Arius didn’t smile but simply handed over another chip.

John-Athain studied the data and found nothing unusual. Just routine formulas and advanced graphs with a time line counting down. It revealed that Solest could go supernova in ten to thirty years depending, of course, on coronal decay. I need more time to study your data. I’ll meet with you tomorrow.

We all need more time, Cen-Arius snapped. We’ll see ourselves out.

John-Anee watched his father sit quietly for what seemed like hours. He dared not disturb him as he checked and crosschecked the data. John-Anee lay in his bed for the rest of the evening contemplating his final days on Terrah. The night was filled with fitful nightmares of being burned to a crisp.

From there on out John saw very little of his father and mother. Helen-A made it to his graduation from the School of Enlightenment. He was assigned to the School of Scientific Advancement as an apprentice engineer. He was pleased with the assignment, but knowing what little time they had left, he wondered what the future held for him, if any.

John-Anee spent several days a week volunteering at the local clinics helping with solar radiation burns and disaster victims. But since almost all diseases had been conquered decades before, he spent most of his time researching the Solest problem to stay busy since the med drones took care of most physical ailments.

On one of his last days of volunteering, John’s father asked him to come home. He had a project.

John-Anee entered his unfamiliar home and found his father in his underground research lab going over test results. Hello son, glad you could come. Several of my colleges have been badly wounded or killed in some of the most recent disasters. I have a real need for an assistant. Would you be interested? I’ve been sensing you’re not happy with the engineering apprenticeship.

A year after John took the apprenticeship job, he already felt useless and bored, so he was quick to reply. Yes I would, but my apprenticeship? I wouldn’t want to let anyone down.

I can take care of that. Here is a formal request for your transfer to my department. All it needs is your thumbprint.

John-Anee held out his thumb, touched the screen and smiled.

It wasn’t long before John-Anee was aware of the daunting task that lay ahead. The whole family studied the millions of zettabytes of information from the most resent probe. The staggering amounts of data made John-Anee realize just how bad things were, and how little time they had. John-Athain saw the stress he was putting on his son and told him to take a day off and clear his head.

Darkness blanketed the city as he left. The heat was mild and there was no forecast of solar flares. He cinched up his backpack and made his way to the outskirts of town.

When he slipped past the protection of the shield generator he hardly noticed the difference in temperature. By the time he reached the top of a small hill overlooking Lemuria, Solest was starting her ascent over a barren wasteland. John-Anee walked to clear his head unaware of any danger other than sunburn.

Chapter Three

Changes

Lemuria was the only city left that had not been laid waste. In the midst of Terrahquakes, volcanoes, and horrific weather patterns, death and destruction had almost been complete, but Lemuria had the last shield generator’s that protected the remaining ten million Terrahanians. Its power source was erratic at best and barely extended to the edge of the city’s circumference. The generator’s area of influence was also shrinking due to demand. It could no longer keep out all the harmful rays of the sun. It took a small army of workers to keep it going. Time was running out.

John walked, focusing on the problem facing his planet. The heat was becoming oppressive. Not much shade to be had now that the forest had been burned away. The new sunscreen lotion was doing its job keeping the body cool. He was so deep in thought he didn’t notice the fast moving storm that was headed his way. A crack of thunder made him jump. He began looking for some kind of shelter when he topped a dusty hill and was greeted by the old shipyard of derelict and unwanted spacecraft, old engines and booster cells that littered hundreds of square miles. He vaguely remembered the area from a field trip his commune took when he was about twelve, but back then there were patches of forest and grass.

The storm raged on, driving John into one of the dilapidated rocket boosters. He made himself comfortable with his blanket and pack, casually watching the acid rain as it stung the ground. Later as he lay watching the lightning dance across the sky, he thought about the end. Would it be quick, or slow and suffocating?

John was not an expert in any particular field. He hadn’t even chosen the fields of study he wanted to pursue. It all seemed so frivolous now. Society, he thought was too stringent, too compartmentalized, and the people who chose fields of study often devoted their entire lifetimes to those studies. John was different; he had a knack for combining science and engineering to develop new ideas. Why keep these to himself, he wondered.

The storm subsided as Solest fell behind the horizon. The acidic smell of the rain lingered long after the sky cleared. John decided to camp in the bone yard. He stretched out his blanket, fluffed up his pack, laid back and stared at the stars through the separating seams and rusted holes in the rocket booster hull. The night had cooled down tremendously and he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

John Rodgers woke with a start when thunder cracked the silence. The hospital room was the same as when he fell asleep, except the TV was off. The window was still damp from the storm. He realized he couldn’t have been asleep very long.

A familiar pain streaked through his body. Click…Click… The sound echoed as he pressed the button on the morphine drip. He wondered if it was his pain that brought out the hallucinations or drugs that made his dreams seam so real.

A moment later, his son came quietly into the room. The concern on his face was obvious. Oh, you’re awake, good. How are you feeling Pop?

I’m fine now, he said waving his bandaged finger. Just those damn dreams are becoming more frequent. I don’t understand why I keep having the same ones.

Oh, yeah, I know, Christopher said as he pointed to the drip, probably those cool drugs they’ve got you on. Do you want to share? The sarcastic smirk could be seen across the room.

Screw you, they’re mine! John said as he laughed and coughed at the same time.

Oh, so that’s how you are.

You know how I am. Seriously, they’re so real it’s like I was really there. Yes, I know what you’re thinking--sick and crazy, John, said as he looked at his son.

You’ve always been crazy, I guess being sick was just a matter of time. He chuckled as he tucked his father in, ignoring the ramblings of the old man.

John could tell when he was being placated. Don’t you have something to do?

Yes, and I’m doing it.

Good, you’ve done your duty, now get the hell out of here, the old man said as he waved toward the door.

Okay, I’ll check back on you later. Christopher made his way to the door. He looked at his father, who had dozed off again. His eyes were closed and his chest rose and sank in a continuous rhythm.

John-Anee woke with a start, quickly glanced around; the blackness of night reflected very little light. Realizing he was still in the bone yard, he relaxed and lay back, something caught his eye through the holes in the rocket shell. A bright object moved slowly across the night sky. It’s slow orbit brought it close to the edge of the atmosphere, alerting John that this was a man-made object. Its anti-collision lights blinked as it peeked his curiosity. What is that, he wondered. Climbing out of the hulk, he continued watching for a moment, then went back and retrieved his handheld computer. He linked it up with Lemuria’s central network. John’s eyebrows rose as he had a sudden influx of ideas. Space Station Atlantis! he said out loud.

The rest of the night John poked and caressed the handheld unit until he thought it was going to break. Before long, Solest brightened the horizon. John packed up his gear and raced toward the city trying to get there before the oppressive heat and storms returned.

He was covered in sweat when he arrived home. The door slid open and he was met by a blast of cool air. Breathing a sigh of relief he made his way to the lab where he found his father on the vid-comm talking to a colleague. He walked into his line of sight and pointed to his handheld. His father nodded and held up a finger, said his goodbyes and shut off the screen.

Father I think I have plan. The only problem is, we’ve been going at it the wrong way. I believe the Settlers were right. We can’t stop Solest. We must admit she beat us and try something else, John said without taking a breath.

What do you suggest? That we run away like the Settlers. We made very hard decisions a long time ago. Our philosophical differences and our basic need to stand and fight are engrained in all of us, his father responded.

We have done all we can do here. I have a five-point plan that might work. It will be tough and will take the participation of most all the population, but I believe we can do it, John-Anee pleaded.

Well the optimism of youth is a welcome sight. The effect of our failures the last few years has confidence at a low. I would welcome a new perspective. Let me see what you have.

John-Athain spent the next couple of hours poring over his son’s notes. Periodically he would frown, slightly smile, rub his chin, and make modifications.

Finally, he put the handheld down, rubbed his eyes, and then looked at John-Anee. You came up with this? His son nodded. You know this will be tough to get to the forum floor, much less approved.

Maybe not as tough as you think. I’ve talked to many people and they have lost faith in our abilities. They are quickly losing hope, too. I really think we should leave.

John’s father stared at him as if coming to some revelation; he then slowly leaned back in his chair. I want you to compile a complete break-down on this plan. He reached into his pocket and handed John-Anee a data chip. This will give you authorization to recruit the necessary people. It will also grant you access to highly sensitive information. I want a working model in three days.

John was too stunned to speak.

His father stood up. Now go get some sleep, you look like something a magcat dragged in. I’ll tell your mother you will be late for dinner. I need to take care of some business now. I received a report yesterday about this orbital Terrah station, Atlantis.

John-Anee perked up at the mention of the orbital station.

The orbit is decaying because of the magnetic field shift and constant solar flares. I was about to order the skeleton crew to abandon ship and set it to enter Terrah’s atmosphere, at some uninhabited part of the planet. I will have them boost its orbit and tell the Council that we still need it as an observation and launch platform.

John-Anee turned to go to his room knowing full well, he wouldn’t sleep. All the information was making his head spin.

After a few hours, he got up and showered, then went downstairs to his laboratory. He noticed his father had retired for the evening, leaving him alone to collect names for the project. He came up with a team of nine people, enough for each phase of the project.

It took him hours to narrow down candidates for the project. His parameters were broad at first: people who were not married. That way they would have more time to devote to the project. They would be younger than average so as to be more receptive to new ideas. He had literally thousands of people to choose from. Finally he sorted it down to fifty.

John was starting to become discouraged when the first five people turned his offer down.

The sixth person, whose name was Athene-A, answered the comm. Hello, she said softly.

Her beauty immediately struck John. Her raven black hair was shoulder length. Customary deep blue eyes with high cheekbones and tan complexion hid her age well. John’s file read that she was twenty-five years his senior.

Athene-A pursed her red lips. Hello, she said a little more forcefully.

Uh, yes, hello. My name is John-Anee-Athain and I’m calling on behalf of a new project. We will be building a generational ship to colonize a new system like the Settlers have done before us.

Listen, I really don’t have time for this nonsense. Goodbye.

Wait! Wait! This isn’t a joke. I’ll send you my authorization codes with the appropriate approvals. John frantically typed in codes.

Athene-A disappeared from the screen. When she came back, she was smiling. Okay. I’m listening.

John stammered as he presented his case. Athene-A agreed to meet with him the following day. She also offered to assist in recruiting project members, he hoped out of professional courtesy instead of pity.

Give me a list of names and I’ll see if I have more success than you. I’ll call you back in a couple of hours. Oh, and for future reference, be honest, but don’t reveal everything all at once. She cut the connection.

John leaned back in his chair thinking he had just found his Physical Engineering, Construction and Logistics Section Chief.

John called three more people on his list before another woman decided to hear him out. Her name was Ther-A and she was also older. John watched her long face as she mulled over what he said. He knew this Communication Expert had recently been dismissed from the Terrah Communication Ministry for insubordination and assumed she was penalized for disagreeing with a superior. He liked her already and wasn’t surprised when she agreed to a meeting.

He called Delphi-Apollo. His age was close to John’s; he had lighter hair and a contagious smile. John listened to him make fun of the idea of the project but in the end, he was curious enough to commit to a meeting. His credentials in propulsion systems, astrophysics and mathematics would make him a valuable member of the group.

After a dozen more calls John came away with only one prospect, a woman by the name of Pandor-A. She seemed quite average until her deep blue eyes flared when he touched on subjects she found controversial. She quickly agreed to meet with him. Her parting comment was, It’s about time those Enlightenment fools pulled their collective heads out of their scorched butts.

John decided not to reveal that his father was one of those Enlightenment fools. He just smiled and gave her the time and place of the meeting. He hoped her computer skills were as sharp as her tongue.

John called people for the rest of the evening with little luck. When he retired to his room, he laid awake trying to memorize his delivery speech. He had purposely set the meeting early, leaving the team of scientists as much time as possible for the presentation. John finally drifted off to sleep, but his sleep was fitful.

The next morning John opened the front door to a blast of heat. He watched as the public transport dropped off a large group of people. He waved them inside before they could get too uncomfortable. As they quickly moved past him into the house he introduced himself. After making them all comfortable in the large living room, his mother, brought in refreshments.

Athene-A grabbed a drink and approached John. She blatantly gloated how she had gotten more people to show up than he had. John just smiled thinking she was even prettier in person. She introduced Elain-A, a short woman by Terrahanian standards. Her dark complexion was as dark as her hair, which was long and braided down her back. She seemed shy as she described her expertise in engine design and advanced propulsion systems.

The next person, who was also female was an Artificial Environmental Specialist named Lee-A-Artemis. She had the typical dark, shoulder length hair; her blue eyes shone bright against her light brown skin. John thought she acted formal as though she was interviewing for a job instead of a project.

Athene-A introduced him to several others, whose names he wouldn’t remember. Others he would, like Xen-Acrates, who was a communications expert with a background in the medical field. He was younger than John and the immaturity showed, but he made up for it with enthusiasm. His rebelliousness was evident because of his long black hair. The accepted style was much shorter. His deep tan skin was more likely from the sun than genetics.

Out of twenty or so people in the living room, several arrived skeptical and left before the presentation began. John was about a third of the way through his speech when a small group interrupted and then asked to be excused. John followed them to the door only to be met with excuses about why they had to leave. As the last one filed out, two newcomers approached.

Is this the John-Anee-Athain residence? asked the shorter, dark haired woman.

John said, Yes, as he looked at her companion, a tall man with a sharp chiseled face. His dark hair and blue eyes darted about making him seem unsure of himself.

Well, the woman said, can we come in or do you want to watch us melt on your door step?

No…No. Please come in, John said as he returned their greetings with steepled fingers and a slight quick bow.

The woman introduced herself as Rhe-A as she walked into the coolness of the house. The man gave his name as Tant-Alus and made a straight line for something to drink.

John learned during introductions that Rhe-A was a medical science expert and Tant-Alus a Computer Science Specialist with a background in construction and logistics similar to Athene-A. John completed the introductions and began the proposal over again to the twelve people that remained.

When he was finished, no one spoke for a few seconds.

I’m in, said Delphi-Apollo, finally.

John liked him because Delphi looked him in the eye, making his honesty easy to read.

I’ve got nothing better to do, said Ther-A.

John got affirmatives from the others. He then had to inform them that he did not have an allotment for all of them. Two offered to bail out. John signed them on as back-ups in case something happened to the original group. They agreed and asked to be kept up to date as they exited the house.

John was eager to get started. I’d like to take you to my father’s laboratory now. Some of you might recognize my father, John-Athain. There were a few nods, but some didn’t know or care. He’s head of the Solest Solution Team and we’ve got access to many resources. So make the best of it.

The underground laboratory was large. John could see their faces light up when they noticed the state of the art equipment.

All the Space Station Atlantis’ schematics and specifications were ready for them. He reminded them that the station was old, and very bulky. John felt, as many did, that there was no time or resources to start from scratch and build many ships.

John supervised, as he got to know each teammate better. He was thinking of a name for the group in order to build a sense of commonality. It came to him: Terrahanian Relocation and Settlement Team, or TRAST for short.

The team seemed to get along at first, but when certain ship systems would overlap, territorial boundaries began to rise. He relied on what his father had taught him about leadership.

At one point when conversation had turned to arguing, he had to speak up. Everyone! Listen up! John said loud and forcefully, to get everyone’s attention. I believe we have less time than we think. I sense you all feel the same way or you wouldn’t be here. We must work together. There’s no other way. We must learn to bend and adapt if this is going to work. Now, should I replace anyone or are we going to work together?

Everyone stopped, realizing they had found a leader.

* * *

Early the following day, John’s father called from the Central Government Building on the other side of the city. He asked how the project was going. John-Anee told him of his selections and that so far, they seemed to be working out.

I’m calling for another reason, son. I have important information about Atlantis. The orbit has been successfully boosted and stabilized since we last spoke. I’m proud of you, John. Keep up the good work.

John didn’t know how he did it, but was thankful the project would continue.

Over the course of the next few days the group lived on stimulants. John found himself adjusting and fine tuning the TRAST team’s efforts. The work progressed quickly and finally they had a prototype model of the project.

The Council gathering was to last three days. John was extremely nervous. Even though his entire plan and its many details would not be ready, John felt he had enough to make his point. His father told him the Chief Councilor had been apprised of the plan and was willing to call the meeting, hear the proposal, and give the population and Councilors another three days to mull over the proposal. Then they would have a referendum vote.

John and his team were dressed in their finest as they filed into the old government center, the new one was unsalvageable. The Councilors, already present, sat in an ascending semi-circle in front of the team. The Chief Councilor introduced himself as Aztek-Alon, making sure to look at the video terminals strategically placed around the vast room. His flowing blood, red robe made him appear larger than he really was. His blue eyes searched out the cameras that he thought would show his best angle.

People of Terrah, the Chief Councilor began. You know, we live in perilous times. The information put out by the Solest Observation Bureau has revealed a graver situation than we expected. Today the Council brings you a new outlook worthy of insight. He adjusted his robe. I present to you the most updated information we have. Please show respect for the honored John-Athain, head of the Solest Solution Team.

The forum crowd stood up silently as John-Athain made his way to the center of the floor surrounded by ascending chairs of the forum.

Fellow Terrahanians, thank you for letting me speak to you today. Simply put, it’s time we Enlightenment fools face the hard facts. Our arrogance has brought us to disaster. Solest will punish us mercilessly for this indiscretion. A fact we should have realized a long time ago. I have changed my mind and I feel Terrah is no longer our home, but our crematorium.

An elderly man, sitting in the smaller section of the amphitheater, interrupted John-Athain. He was Allann-Augustus, a long time friend, although they were often on the opposite sides of any debate.

Honored Allann-Augustus, Aztek-Alon’s voice boomed through the cavernous building which had once been a museum. You are out of line. This is an informational forum, debates will be forthcoming.

I want to bring it to the forum’s attention that further discussion would be treasonous. We agreed to stay and fight for and protect the sacred ground of our civilization. For centuries we have searched for extraterrestrial life, to no avail. Terrah is the cradle of sentient life and to abandon it like the Settlers, would be the most heinous of crimes, the gray haired old man