Judgment

By E. Gerald Pires

As early as 2010, the eminent physicist Stephen Hawking, and other scientists were cautioning enthusiasts against looking for alien life across the universe. Humans are pretty much bound to Earth and its immediate surroundings. If we make contact in the near term, it’s likely they will come to us. That indicates they would have technology far exceeding our own and may be on the hunt for resources. More recently, on another point, Hawking has warned that “the development of a full Artificial Intelligence (superintelligence) could spell the end of the human race”.
In this novel, the friendly creatures had brought their own Lord with them. Early on, it became clear that they were sexless and could not eat human food. Their Lord provided them with manna for sustenance. They were accepted world-wide without resistance as Angels from heaven. Their remarkable intelligence and power derived from the leadership of their Lord quickly led to the implementation of the Judgment.

About the Author
Dr. E. Gerald Pires is a scientist and former rancher living in Oregon. He has written extensively in scientific journals, popular magazines and for newspapers. Other books by Dr. Pires: Ichi Ban Outfit- the story of the men in the unique 474th Signal Aviation Construction Company during the Korean War, and Murky Waters – the Struggle to Integrate Bogalusa, Louisiana.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elderberry Press
• Release date: Feb 22, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370321728

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

TOM WAS AWAKE even before his musical alarm went off. He awoke suddenly, fully rested. In the darkness he could barely see his two Dalmatians sitting on the carpet staring at him.

What’s the matter, fellas?

He rolled over and kissed his wife just as the music started, then shut the alarm off. Pokey had her feet on the bed as she stretched to touch his face with her cold nose.

Good girl! Okay, let me go shave, fellas. The dogs followed him out of the dark bedroom. Tom looked in on their two sons, then after shaving, went downstairs for breakfast. He ate in about ten minutes, pulled on his sweater, locked the outside door and went to his red Ford pickup. Mutt, the younger dog didn’t loudly rush the truck this morning as usual. He walked alongside Tom rather apprehensively.

There were three gates on the ranch that Tom had to pass through. After passing through the first gate into the pasture, he could make out some of his Angus cattle lying in the field alongside the drive. The second gate separated the pasture from a large hay field and at the top of a long slope the third gate was the entry gate onto the State road. He was now a quarter mile from his house.

As Tom walked back to close the last gate he could see the silhouette of the Douglas firs surrounding his house. Above the trees he was amazed to see a great rolling display of green light. He had never seen a more beautiful Aurora Borealis this far down in Oregon before. As he watched, a small pulse of light illuminated his fields enough that he was certain he could make out his entire herd laying in the distant field. Startled, he looked about quickly. He thought afterward that he had seen Jesus face looking down at him. He dismissed the thought as preposterous.

The Aurora Borealis was definitely visible. He wasn’t imagining that. Back in the pickup, he used his cell phone to call his wife, Amanda, we can see a wonderful display of the Aurora Borealis. Get the boys up so that they can see it. We don’t have this opportunity very often. I’ll call you later.

After she hung up, Amanda recognized some urgency in her husband’s message. He always addressed her as Honey or some other endearment over the phone. She knew it would take about an hour for Tom to get to work and get settled in. The phone was in mid-ring as she picked it up.

What’s the matter, Tom?

Nothing, Honey. Did you see anything else in the sky?

Of course not. Lots of stars and Dancer came over to get her face rubbed.

I saw a flash of Jesus’ face earlier. It was a replica of a famous painting that hangs in the church vestibule. Don’t worry, I feel fine. Call me if you hear anything on the news.

Tom scanned all of the car radio channels as he drove into town. So far the media was regarding the face in the sky as a local phenomenon and deserving of only a brief mention. A powerful Texas radio station was beginning to piece the story together, however. It was not going to be local news very long.

Some of the ships crossing the Pacific Ocean were communicating about the phenomena in the predawn sky. Some didn’t recognize the image; others blamed it on alcohol the night before. The land-based media and Coast Guard were listening to the chatter, but unable to confirm the sightings. The American Military had been alerted several hours earlier by the British observers who were the first to see it and were tracking the appearance as it moved across the Atlantic. The Washington, DC area was fogged in, but radar units detected nothing unusual. The media was unwilling to go out on a limb yet. The paranoid dictatorship of North Korea had gone on full military alert in anticipation of the face in the sky that they presumed was spying on their country. They were not disappointed. The face was not recognizable to them, and their technology also failed to detect any foreign substance overhead.

As the world turned that first day, someone in every nation, weather permitting, had seen that nearly subliminal image flash in the predawn sky. Although most people didn’t recognize the face, it became the major topic of conversation and investigation before the end of the day. The landline phone system in the United States had collapsed from overuse at about 2:00 in the afternoon. It was after 10:00 p.m. before any lines opened up on the West Coast.

Before dawn of the second day, scientists in Western Europe, Germany and England particularly were scanning the skies. Where visible, the image persisted for 8 to 10 seconds. This was true even in the Southern Hemisphere. More importantly, reports were coming in from Africa that the armies in the tribal wars had been mysteriously destroyed. Now there were reports of the poppy fields in the Middle East and Afghanistan having suddenly been consumed by fire.

The face appeared angry yet as it passed over the United States. The hidden patches of hemp burst into flame from Canada to Argentina as Jesus’ face looked on. Christians everywhere recognized the face and knew that their Lord had come. Radical preachers led their eager congregations to hilltops around the world to wait on the Lord. They waited and waited. Those with the patience to wait until darkness simply disappeared before the next dawn.

Amanda had gotten up quietly with Tom that second day. They both walked out to the open fields as the eastern sky began to glow lighter. They held each other silently in the presence of the image. Tom tried to estimate the number of pinpoints of light. He assumed from the position and angle of the sun that they were seeing reflected light.

They hadn’t heard any news since late the night before and they weighed whether Tom should go to work today. They looked in on the children, ate breakfast, and Tom decided to go lest some of his technicians would come in to an empty lab.

The roads were almost empty of vehicles. The fire station on Firwood Road was swarming with volunteer firemen preparing to take their trucks out. As he passed the main fire station in Sandy, he had to wait for the trucks to get out onto the highway. He knew there was a lot of marijuana grown in Oregon, but he had no idea that the fields were all suddenly on fire. The volunteer firemen were hastening out of fear of possible forest fires.

The military still had reservations. Astronauts and cosmonauts in the space station were unaware of anything unusual. Scientists around the world were collaborating without success. Utter panic had seized the nations. As the image appeared over North Korea this day, a missile was launched toward the face. Just as quickly, the palace of the leadership and every missile site in the country was destroyed in retaliation.

In the few seconds the face was looking down whole armies were destroyed. Any conflict, large or small, was resolved with the destruction of the participants. But there were no bodies to be interred. In Mexico the drug cartels were decimated. By the close of the second day absolute terror reigned. The top leadership of the Christian nations pleaded for a day of prayer. Other nations were contritely pleading capitulation with this great imminent force or god that they did not know.

Communication remained good in spite of the high density of ions in the atmosphere. This added to the terror of the situation. Once the nation’s leadership recognized that full disclosure did not put them at risk from their human enemies, they permitted factual news reporting. No one could doubt the power of this unknown being or thing. The attacks, if that was what was happening, were universal. Some announcers were using the words justified and fair.

Tom was too nervous and anxious to keep the laboratory open. Only three of his technicians had come in. The remainder had simply phoned. Tom advised them to stay with their families until they knew what was happening. He closed the office before noon and started for home.

Amanda had planted a large garden at home. Seldom did they need more than milk and dairy products, but Tom stopped at a large Safeway. The parking lot was full. The store was full of customers, overwhelming the under staffed cashiers. The harried manager greeted Tom and said, Most of my clerks stayed home today.

Tom was glad to get home again himself. The boys, Billy, aged fourteen and Sammy, a year younger, were excited and rambunctious to have their father home in the middle of the day. Tom took them both out of the house for a while to give Amanda a break from all the noise and activity. They walked past the barns and followed a trail through the woods down to the pond. A blue heron flew off from the shallow end of the water where it had been fishing for trout. He and the boys sat there on a log in the shade, watching and listening to the water and pondering what little he knew of an almost certain unknown invader.

Amanda spent her time away from the boys trying to make calls to her and Tom’s siblings in Washington and California hoping to learn some news. The main problem with the cell phone was the lines were often busy. Her mother, who was a very religious woman, assured her that this must be a sign of the second coming of the Lord. Amanda could almost sense the resignation and fear in her mother’s voice. The interspersed calls from neighbors and church friends were not reassuring either. She was glad to see Tom and the boys go by the window and onto the porch.

Thank heavens we live where we do, Tom. I’ll start fixing supper. We’ll eat on the deck tonight away from the TV.

While I was at the pond, I estimated the number of points of light in the face we saw this morning at about a thousand. The news tells us that the face is visible in the Southern Hemisphere at the same time we are seeing it so we must double the number. We just don’t know yet what we are doubling.

Let’s not answer the phone or turn the TV on until after supper.

I agree, Honey. We can’t do anything to help anyone until we know what is happening.

Tom and Amanda did their best to hide their fears and apprehensions from the children. Later in the evening several friends and neighbors dropped by the ranch to visit and get reassurances from Tom as to what he thought. He had none to give. All of the churches, synagogues, mosques, and places of worship were open continuously according to the television commentators. Confirmed atheists were caught praying. Yet, no one had an explanation.

Dawn of the third day arrived too soon. Tom and Amanda felt exhausted even before they were out of bed. They led their children over the dew-damp lawn to the picnic table and sat down to wait.

I remember as a boy using the picnic table my Dad built as an imaginary stagecoach in our backyard. We kids had so much fun using our imagination.

My Dad built us girls a big doll house near the garden. It had electricity, too. It’s getting light, Tom. Do you suppose we missed it?

Let’s give it five more minutes. I’m sure we were early enough.

What did we miss, Dad? Billy asked.

We were going to watch something in the sky. Remember the Aurora Borealis you saw a couple of days ago? Let’s all go back in for breakfast.

While Amanda fixed breakfast, Tom, KE7ZUL, reported in to his ham radio club. This club, KE7OIM, was an integral part of the Clackamas County emergency response team network. He talked to the two early risers for a few minutes. Hams around the world, that they had been communicating with, were excited for news, but there was no emergency declared. The sunspot activity was creating unusual intermittent static conditions.

Now, the news revolved around why the face did not appear overhead this morning. Tom predicted that something serious was about to happen. Suddenly the television screen went dark and a powerful voice announced that, The Lord has come and He will address the nations at 8 pm PST. The announcement was remarkably and intricately synchronized across national time zones so that every citizen in each country around the world heard the voice at the same time in his own language.

Now, the anticipation became excruciatingly painful. People without a Biblical background were expecting a horrific invasion. Even those who knew of the Bible were unprepared to meet their Lord. Confusion reigned. Sex was rampant. Addicts, knowing that their drug supply was dwindling forever, were beginning to feel physical pain. The places of worship were filled to overflowing all afternoon. Others were arming themselves.

Tom and Amanda were at wits end. Tom suggested that the family make a quick trip to Seattle, to get Amanda’s mother. It could be a fast trip if the traffic wasn’t too bad on I-5. As they went through the gate into the pasture, another car topped the hill from the road coming toward them.

Oh, no, Amanda whispered.

Tom’s heart sank, but he said, Maybe this won’t take long.

Before the first car had crossed the hay field, a green auto had started down the drive. They recognized this car as friends from Portland. Tom turned his car around and went back to the garage. They walked out to the garden to greet their fearful guests. Tom had no idea who was driving the brand new Honda until they got out of the car. It was an older friend, a deacon in their church, Charlie McGuire and Mildred.

Would you believe I spent a fortune on this car four days ago? At a time like this. Charlie joked.

The old green car belonged to Bill and Elizabeth Thompson. They had one daughter, Mary. The tension seemed to drain from Elizabeth’s face just to be at the ranch with her friends.

I have been worried almost sick. This is what we pray for. I’m sure the children will be alright, but I am still afraid, she said. I told Bill we should be with our friends today. Thank you for being here.

Amanda prepared lunch and they all ate outside after a long blessing from the deacon. The women cleared the table. The TV was moved out to the deck and everyone gathered around. As Tom sat down the dogs rushed over, but Mutt was quicker to get onto his lap. Pokey lay on the floor with the children.

The deacon asked his friends to bow their heads as he prayed again.

CHAPTER 2

PRECISELY ON TIME the TV went black, then immediately displayed the most beautiful room imaginable. It appeared to be illuminated without lights. The columns were spaced so that the flowers and distant green fields could be seen easily. It was a huge sparkling white room with a beautiful red and golden throne near one end. It was beyond description, but appeared far superior even to the much darker Buckingham Palace.

As the camera focused on the magnificent throne, it appeared clear to the audience that the throne was empty…that there was no one visible in the entire room. Suddenly a great and powerful voice seemed to fill the room like thunder: Behold, I am the Lord and I have come to judge the Earth and all that is in it. For a moment the room erupted into an invisible chorus of singing voices.

Let the doubters among you go to the battlefields of the world. Let him go forth to buy drugs to pollute his body and he will know that I am Lord. The Judgment has begun. Choose your best craftsmen and let them build a platform 20 feet square outside your prison doors and let them fireproof one half of it this very night. The Angels of the Lord are authorized to execute my plan. Tomorrow, the prisons will be empty forever.

You are the sheep of my pastures. I have created you. Which one of you is worthy to look upon my face? Even the Angels of the Lord cannot do so. Yet I am here before you now. The Book of Life is open. Pray that your name will be found on its pages.

The judgment will require some time, but each of you will be held accountable for your inequities. Behold, for I say unto you, ‘Go about your work. Fulfill your duties to your friends and family. Obey the laws of the land and sin no more’.

With that, the screen went dark. Some of the station managers had arranged for the speech to be followed by music. The friends sat silently for a while lost in their own private thoughts and prayers.

Tom broke the silence with, Amanda and I have read the Bible cover to cover.

We haven’t. We have only read the parts assigned by the study manuals and our preachers, commented the deacon.

Maybe it won’t matter. We aren’t very regular at church either although now I wish we had attended, Elizabeth said.

Faith is most important, Amanda commented. But our little sins look so terrible now in retrospect.

City and State officials were on the phone within the hour demanding local lumberyard owners to open their businesses and asking for volunteer carpenters to work on the specified platforms. Police were erecting barriers around the prison entrances. Camera crews began arriving soon after.

A few people were still in the vicinity in the early dark hours of the day as a giant spacecraft silently appeared over the prison. It hovered briefly, then gently lowered itself in a reverse position behind the prison walls. The camera crews rushed around diligently trying to film the spectacle. Later, they discovered that the objects they were filming had not registered or recorded the activity.

After the spacecraft had become stabilized, a UFO disc-type craft appeared and settled over the nose cone of the spacecraft similar to a donut on a stick. Bay doors between the cone and the UFO apparently allowed free movement of the occupants.

For the first time on the West Coast, the human beings behind the police barricades could look upon the Angels as three of them moved quickly onto the platform. Now, viewers at home were getting even better reception on their TV sets. These Angels were about cherub size, about two or 2 1/2 feet tall. Two of them were bearded and all of them wore Biblical appearing robes and sandals. In a loud voice the leader announced, Bring the prisoners forth.

The wardens brought ten men out. The first man marched up boldly.

What was your crime, Son? the first Angel asked.

I’m innocent, was the reply.

The Book of Life shows you are a triple murderer and you have lied to me.

A brilliant flash of light consumed the prisoner leaving only a trace of ashes to be carried away on the breeze. The next prisoner was already on the platform. He threw himself on his knees.

The Angel said, As you have done to others, so shall it be done to you. He, too, was immolated in a flash of light.

The surrounding crowd gasped in horror. The eight waiting prisoners screamed and were fighting with the guards to escape in spite of their leg-irons. All eight were hit by the blinding flash of light and turned into ashes on the spot. This was almost more than the TV audience could stomach as well. Many turned their sets off. No one could deny that these were the Angels of the Lord. Thereafter, the prisoners were brought out individually under a stronger guard.

Midway in the proceedings a capital crime prisoner fell on his knees before the Angel claiming innocence. The beardless Angel stepped forward and held him by the ears momentarily. Yes. This man has been wrongly convicted. Go home to your family and friends and sin no more.

The man, laughing and crying, leapt from the platform and raced into the crowd.

Prisoners with non-capital convictions or lesser offenses were questioned carefully about their life and general health then led back into the prison recreation yard. Those with health problems were taken into the standing spacecraft.

Sheriff’s deputies were bringing prisoners from their local and city jails throughout the area. Their judgment was interspersed with the others.

Amanda couldn’t bear to watch. Tom continued to watch awhile longer. It occurred to him that the apex of the spacecraft and the UFO had an unobstructed line of sight to the platform. Although he could see nothing but the sudden flash of light as it engulfed the victim, he made a point of remembering this.

At the close of the Judgment day, the UFO separated from the nose cone and settled into the yard. Those prisoners were herded into the craft out of sight of the spectators. The UFO left the prison after dark. The operation had gone rapidly and efficiently. The news spread that the prisons were now empty.

The event was traumatic for the human population. At any hour of the day or night humans could turn on their television or handheld device and see the live broadcast of the Judgment from any country or location possessing news cameras. At any place where there was a large congregation of people the Angels were at work. Every channel during the first week carried the work of the Judgment.

The following week, a delegation of Angels from the spacecraft docked on the White House lawn entered to speak to the President. Afterward, they were taken to the Capital to address a joint session of Congress. The Angels offered their services as consultants to the government. The main talking point of the speaker was the abolishment of the present day currency of all the nations of the world. A card would be substituted that would contain all the information needed for food and shelter, plus a compendium of its owner’s life, skills and physical condition.

By necessity, the cards had to be picked up in a public building, from a committee of Angels, at a time and place to be announced. This marvelous card not only permitted the purchase of medicines and dietary foods for those with legitimate needs, but it would restrict those overweight from purchasing food and drink that exacerbated their problem. Each time the card was used, it updated the information it contained.

Rumor had it that the Lord had called a conference of his top Angels after about a month. The location was unknown, although Texas was widely conjectured. Tom was only confident that the conference was not in Portland. At this point, he was unsure where the Lord resided, but he knew that the majority of Angels were living in the large transport ship sitting perpendicular on a vacant lot in the center of town.

Business owners in the downtown area, including Tom, could see the Angels emerging early in the morning to go to their assigned work. All wore white robes and sandals. None appeared armed in any way. All of them were extremely open and friendly.

Some of the more courageous proprietors actually had begun a friendly repartee with the Angels they met in their stores. With a handshake, the Angel had a complete history of the human and could inquire about the person’s family by name. There was no question after such an experience that the human had spoken with a holy being.

The Angels seemed to enjoy evening walks through the downtown parks and neighborhoods. The brutal Judgment was the primary topic continuing all day and all night on television. The adults were completely intimidated, but for many, even most households, the children were not allowed to watch such gruesome TV. Consequently, in the neighborhoods, the Angel’s size and friendliness was very popular with the youngsters.

The popularity with the young people frequently led to the panicked parent rushing out of his house to rescue his child from the Angels, and ending with a blessing and a conviction that he/she had truly spoken with an Angel.

In the parks and playgrounds, the Angels were often surrounded by humans wanting and clamoring to ‘see the light’. The remarkable Angels could get upon a picnic table and deliver the ‘sermon on the mount’ perfectly as printed in the Bible. Their memory of the Bible was infallible. The Angels could consult and advise the humans on all their domestic problems because through touch, they learned every aspect of the human’s problem. Only a real Angel could be so wise.

Tom and Amanda strived to do the Lord’s bidding. Tom had an analytical laboratory in Portland. He followed the Lord’s instructions to go to work each day. He was more careful to keep the Sabbath than he was before the Lord and his Angels arrived. He and Amanda both were still going to church on Sunday. They, as well as most of their friends, were brought up with the belief that Sunday was the Sabbath.

Frivolous programming