The Lost Clan

By William F. Rayer

In the vastness of space there are the Watchers. We have been on there radar for eons. As a doctoral candidate, Hinrik has been studying the ancient monoliths on Easter Island. What he finds will change the very nature of our known universe and our relation with the Family of Man. Is the Human Race on the verge of a newer and stranger future in their Reach Beyond Tomorrow? Find out in The Lost Clan.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Aug 16, 2017
• ISBN: 9781387169986

Book preview

The Lost Clan

THE LOST CLAN

(Book 3 of the Family of Man Series)

by William F. Rayer

Text Copyright © 2017 William F. Rayer

All rights reserved.

All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

ISBN: 978-1-387-16998-6

Printed in the United States of America

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book to my wife, who tirelessly read and edited these pages. I also want to thank my brother whose ideas and helpful suggestions made this book possible. And, finally I thank my family and friends for their encouragement and support without which I could never have completed these novels.

Cast of Characters

Astrophysicist/Anthropologist - Lisa Karlovec-Brinder

Astrophysicist - John Karlovec, Lisa's Husband

Pnomos - Bront

Family of Man Liaison, USA - Doria, Bront's Wife

Science Officer/Composer – Stovan

Doctoral Student – Hinrik Gunnarsson

Chilean National Museum Inspector - Senór Killa Roca

Science Institute Liaison for Internal Affairs – Fred Landrum

Retired General - General Schuster

Lorn - Pnomos of Distant Past Earth Expedition

Rikard - Lorn’s Co-Pilot

Thiana - Lorn’s Linguistic and Science Officer

Marit - Pilot of Recovery Expedition - Home World

Tondru - Marit’s Co-Pilot

Preface

A small red light blinked, and then the one next to it winked into existence. Ten seconds later, they both blinked again. Over and over the pair blinked demanding someone’s attention. They were not bright, just two average lights, but lights that had not blinked for eons. Would anyone notice or was there no one left to care? No one that would discover the secret they hid, the message they wanted to deliver, blinking in the darkness, maybe the eternal darkness, no one to notice, no one to receive their important news. Dutifully they continued their blinking; the two red lights blinked and blinked and blinked.

* * * * * *

The maoi had been standing sentry for ages, their cold-stone faces guarding the island from intruders for centuries. Scholars believed them to be artifacts built by Polynesian tribes that had settled on the island between 800 and 300 BC. Scholars, what did they know? Hinrik thought, as he walked among the stolid unseeing artifacts whose faces were turned toward the relentless sea wind. Hinrik Gunnarsson had been on the island for over a month. His broad Nordic frame strode effortlessly along the path, his hair wildly blowing in the wind. Attending UCLA, Hinrik was working on his doctoral thesis, The Mysteries Underlying the Easter Island Monoliths. True, most of the world had been enamored by the Family of Man and the wonderful riches and knowledge they had shared with humanity. But, we still have humanity and a history that needs discovering. The island had been spared the attack from space by that alien scourge that had raped most of the entire planet, erasing

all the visible signs of our past cultures. The Egyptian and Mayan pyramids, gone. The Great Wall of China, the only feature on the planet visible from space, was gone. The Plains of Nazca also were erased by the hands of those ‘Bugs, as they had become to be called. Only here on Rapa Nui, Easter Island, had the scourge been spared. It was probably an oversight by the ‘Bugs, but, nevertheless, it was still here and Hinrik planned to study and document the only existing treasure of the human race. This afternoon he planned to take a trip to the wall at Ahu Vinapu, the only Inca artifact to survive the war. That’s what drew Hinrik to this island. Scholars all believed the island had been settled by Polynesian tribes from Hawaii, so what was an Incan wall doing on this island? Granted, the wall was small, probably destroyed by the Polynesian tribes when they discovered that they were not the first to find the island. The great explorer, Thor Heyerdahl, had pointed to this Inca-like stone ahu as a key indicator to a distinct Peruvian influence on the island. Hinrik knew there was a secret there to uncover. It could be a key to the marvelous and ancient history of our planet. He likened it to the discovery of John and Lisa Karlovec. He was sure he would justify the cost of his trip here to a very remote part of the world with a discovery grander than that of the Karlovecs. Little did he know how much of an understatement that thought was. The impact would affect not only the thoughts and beliefs of the Human Race, but also of the Family of Man. The truth would shatter everything known about the universe and the life it held.

Chapter 1

The Science Institute

(The Present)

It’s been more than 10 years since the human race had returned from its self-imposed exile while the battle for Earth raged, Lisa thought. The time seemed to have slipped by. Aiden, her son, now a junior in high school, was an excellent scholar, athlete and musician and already taking classes at the Science University in Ann Arbor. She and John had continued their studies of the alien culture that were now their brothers and sisters of the Family of Man. It had been a struggle when they first arrived back on Earth after orbiting Jupiter. Most of the Human Race had been put in stasis, but she and John had remained active, aiding the Family of Man in their attempts to thwart the alien Hive Race’s efforts to take all the resources of their shared planet.

John continued to work with Stovan, Pnomos and Bront, on understanding more of the inner workings of the Obelisk. The Legacy Device had worked to perfection, but they wanted to know more about it. The last ten years had been spent in raising Aiden, their only son, and working on understanding more of the workings of the Obelisk.

The Earth had gone through a transformation in the last ten years, a transformation from a desolate and destroyed vista to a modern world. Slums and tent cities were a thing of the past. A wonderful new world was being built from the ashes of the old. John always compared it to the rising of the Phoenix from the ashes of desolation and despair.

With the help of the Family of Man and their knowledge, the Earth was being transformed into a dynamic and vibrant world. New concepts and sciences were incorporated in building vast new cities. The energy consumption of the past using fossil fuels was replaced by a far more eco-friendly power of wind, water and sun-powered energy. The delicate balance between nature and man began to show recovery.

Really, Lisa, that’s all you’re going to do is sit there and stare at the wall? John said with that smirk of a smile meaning he was teasing as usual.

John Stovan said from behind John. You may want to look at this. I’ve been watching the Obelisk for the past ten minutes and something strange is happening.

Like anything about the Obelisk is not strange? John mumbled. John walked back to where Stovan was watching the Obelisk. What is so strange that caught your eye?

Watch right here, Stovan said as he pointed to a spot near the top of the Obelisk.

Okay, I’m watching. What’s so strange?

There, see those two lights briefly wink on and then off, Stovan pointed.

Two red lights winked on in unison and then off. Now wait, it will happen again, Stovan noted.

Sure enough, they flashed again. So, you have two red lights flashing near the top of the Obelisk. What’s so strange about that?

They have never been on before. Why are they on now and blinking every ten seconds? Stovan quizzed.

Are you sure it’s every ten seconds? And, even so, maybe it’s a loose wire or…

John was interrupted by Stovan, No, it’s exactly every ten seconds right down to the micro-second. It’s got to mean something.

Yes, it means it’s hungry and wants to go to lunch, John answered.

Just how I would have expected you to answer, sweetheart, Lisa interjected. "You are always thinking with your stomach. Which I might add has grown some in size since we returned to Earth.

All the more to love, my little pumpkin, John fired back with a wink. He knew she hated it when he called her pumpkin, a name John had used for her when she was pregnant with Aiden.

Come on, lets go to the cafeteria for lunch and we can think about it while we eat. You know I think better when I am eating. Besides, maybe Bront will be there and we can ask him if he knows anything about those two lights, John said as he strolled to the door of the lab.

John led the way to the cafeteria with Lisa and Stovan in tow. He is always first in line at the cafeteria, Lisa thought. But I must admit, he does think his best when eating. The two dutifully followed John through the cafeteria line and over to a table where Bront was sitting.

See, I knew Bront would be here, John said as he laid his tray on the table. Mind if we join you, Pnomos?

Please, Bront said, we don’t need the formal use of my title while in an informal setting. Have a seat and tell me what you three masterminds have been up to.

Stovan noticed it first, John began. They repeat every ten seconds. We don’t know why or what they mean, but we thought you would know and could tell us.

Bront turned away from John and looked Stovan in the eyes, Would you care to explain what this man is saying? Words come out, but they have no meaning.

Stovan smiled first at Bront, then at John, giving John that knowing wink that meant all the facts, John, start from the beginning. What John is trying to say is that I, well we, have noticed two red lights blinking at the top of the Obelisk that were never there before. And as John pointed out, they come exactly every ten seconds. We thought you might know what they mean. Is it some kind of malfunction, or error code?

Bront looked at the trio for several seconds, appearing to be in deep thought. He said there are two lights blinking at the top of the Obelisk, John repeated, as if Bront hadn’t heard Stovan.

Yes, I heard him, John. Slow down and let me think. Where about on the Obelisk are the two lights? Which face? Bront inquired.

John eagerly jumped in as Stovan was about to speak, They are on what we have determined to be the front of the Obelisk, right below the capped top.

I see, Bront said rubbing his chin, a sign he was thinking back, back in a time, a long time ago. Bront sat there mesmerized as if in a trance. The trio knew not to bother him when he became this way. Bront, now old by Earth terms, would be in his mid-to-late sixties had been their estimate. It was more of a ‘guesstimate’ for Bront had lived in several eras, the present, the prehistoric past of the Earth, and the distant past of his native world now long dead, dead because their planet was doomed to extinction for their sun was to go supernova. That is when he and the others had begun a search for a new home, the home the Family of Man now lived on, Earth.

Bront’s mind raced back in time to that day long ago on the pre-historic Earth, where the Family of Man had decided to retreat from Earth. This would give time for the genetic implant they had provided the semi-sentient species they had encountered on Earth, time to grow. Grow into the species Bront sat next to now.

In his mind’s eye, he could see himself and Doria walking in the noon day sun, through their encampment towards a tent in which Pnomos was working. Pnomos, the thought struck him hard. Here was a memory of Athyr, Pnomos of their Family that Bront hadn’t remembered for eons. He was saddened by the memory of the loss of Athyr even now, millennia later.

* * * * * *

Bront walked up to Athyr, Pnomos, and asked, Is our Home World still there? We estimated that it would be soon that we would know of its destruction.

Athyr looked up from what he was doing and smiled his kindly smile, knowing the impatience of youth and the desire to know the truth would make Bront a good, if not great, Pnomos. Yes, our Home World is still alive. We will know of its demise when these two blinking red lights cease to blink. Our planet will be as dead as those two lights. As Athyr spoke, the two lights winked rapidly for several seconds, and then they were silent. Their darkness bespoke the death of their world. They were now, truly alone.

Doria wrapped her arms around Bront as she wept. Their Home World was now just dust floating in a black macrocosm of space, torn asunder by the heat of their exploding star. The sentinel lights announced the death of their planet.

* * * * * *

Bront looked up from his reverie, Yes, I know what those two red lights mean. But, I also know that what you tell me is impossible.

What do you mean impossible? Both Stovan and I saw them blinking. Didn’t you, Stovan? Am I wrong, Lisa?

Bront smiled, looking at each one with the kindness of a father, Let me tell you a story. Bront told them of his memory of that day, so long ago when the two lights stopped blinking.

* * * * * *

Back in the lab, John pointed at the red lights still blinking on the Obelisk. He turned to Bront, his eyes searching Bront’s face for an expression, any expression. Does this mean your Home World is broadcasting again? Doesn’t that seem a bit odd after such a long time? John’s face was a mask of incredulity, his forehead wrinkled with worry and concern.

Bront watched in silence as the two lights flickered in and out of existence. It would appear so, my friend. Stovan, have you run a diagnostic subroutine to see if maybe there is a malfunction? Bront said as he turned his attention toward the technician. Yes, of course you did. You would not have brought me here to show me this unless you already had. Well, it seems we have a mystery at hand. The two lights indicate that there is now a two-way communication pattern in the buffer. It does not mean there is a message. The flashing will turn yellow when a message is coming in, and green when the message is in the buffer.

You mean we have to sit here and wait until it turns yellow and then green? John whined, looking at the Obelisk as if to force the machine to stop blinking. It could be days, or weeks, or even never, before a message comes. It’s like sitting at a darned traffic light and waiting for it to turn green.

John, Lisa interrupted, "you never sit at a traffic