A Light from a Distant Fire: A Story of Fantasy and Science Fiction

By M. E. Barb

This story starts with the death of an old man, Alexander (Alex) Sykes, and his afterlife life. Upon his return from a trip to the astral plane, he discovers that police have been called to his apartment. He quickly finds out why: he was dead. Alex was looking at his own corpse! There was nothing that he can do now, so he left.

Alex looked into the night sky and said, I want to go there, and he was off. He couldnt explain it, so he just went with it. He discovered several inhabited planets, some with what are probably animal life, but as to whether they were sentient, Alex didnt know. After a few more planets, Alex found the Qythedefinitely intelligent on a planet that was more urban than not.

After his first contact with the Qythe, Alex discovers that they have an advanced mental ability that our earthly computers cant match. Yet despite their great intellects and history, they are doomed, and unless Alex and his growing circle of friends and allies can help, the Qythe will die. So Alex, with his own mental ability, discovered by accident, does what it takes to convince others of the need to work together to save his new friends: Dr. Philips, physicist of JPL; Dr. Bernstein, director of Physics, JPL; Dr. Colin Andres, psychiatrist/parapsychologist, JPL; Dr. Dawn Runningdeer, quantum physics, West Coast Institute of Technology; and Rosa Seville, former NASA astronaut. These and others will be responsible for the salvation of the Qythe, but even with the help of advanced science from the Qythe, can Alex and his human friends pull it off and still deal with the threat of destruction from one of his own?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 17, 2016
• ISBN: 9781514490884

M. E. Barb

I am in my sixties, single, and living in southern California. This is my first book, but not the first attempt to write. Long ago, I wrote a short story, “What Dreams May Come,” which was inspired by an episode of the Twilight Zone. I thought about sending it to Readers Digest but never got around to it. My private life, I keep private, but not to the point of becoming reclusive. I’m just careful as to whom I talk to and what I reveal. The genesis of my story started in late 2014. I was a security guard at an auto dealership working the graveyard shift. This gave me plenty of time to look up at the night sky, where I would see the magnificent blackness of space. For some years, it had been my desire that when I die, my personality is released to go among the stars and explore. This death and the resulting ability to “go where no man has gone before” (thank you, Gene Roddenberry) is where Alex came from. A Fire from a Distant Light is his story.

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COPYRIGHT © 2015 BY M.E. BARB.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 05/19/2016

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CHARACTERS:

Dr. Dawn Running Deer, Quantum physics

Prof. Noah Phillips, Applied physics

Dr. Kenji Huan, astrophysics, astronomy

Dr. Bill Reddinger, orthopedic surgeon

Qythe-Ruh and Sah, aliens

Alexander (Alex) Sykes, deceased, astral-projection veteran

Franklin Sykes, Alex’s son

Nicki, Franklin’s wife

Prof. Angela Gray, E.E.E.

Alfredo Montoya, master mechanic

Rosa Seville, astronaut

Dr. Saul Bernstein, director of Applied Physics Dept’s

Julianne (Julie) Stevens, Alex’s Granddaughter

At last I am free. For many years it had my greatest desire, would be free to look at the night sky, pick out a star and say to myself, I want to go there , and just like that, I’m there. What I am doing is engaging in ‘Astral-projection, also known as ‘out-of-body experience or O.B.E. It’s too bad that I don’t have any formal training in astronomy. What I know I picked up from watching science shows on T.V. I know that our star, ‘Sol’, is a white dwarf and is fairly common. But there are red stars, brown dwarfs, neutron and others.

I am currently looking at a star, what is probably a red giant. I ‘think’ about taking a closer look and there I am. From what I can see in the upper atmosphere, it looks calm. I don’t dare risk taking a closer look. I don’t know if what I am is subject to gravitational forces.

Looking back at my life, I had no idea that death was so close. It started out as just another night, lying in bed preparing my mind for my next tour of the astral plane. I had been a security guard for over six years and had looked forward to retiring at sixty-six. Breakfast would consist of cold cereal, a half glass of sun tea and the morning paper. Not much of anything in the paper except the crossword puzzle that I would clip out to do during my nights off. The ‘Jumble’ i’ld clip out to take with me to work. Along with this puzzle and a book, it helped to pass the time between patrols. Okay, back to my death. I am not too sure what happened. I got home in the morning, at my usual time 6a.m., brushed my teeth and went to bed. Evidently, as I was O.B.E, I never woke up. Died in my sleep? I seem to remember a jolt as I was ‘away’. I doubt that we will ever know. As I am ‘standing’ by my bed, from the looks of it, I died several days ago. I can ‘hear’ what the coroner is telling the police. No noticeable trauma. Time of death was approximately thirty-six to forty-eight hours ago. Neither the paper nor the mail had been brought in for several days so that helped establish the T.O.D. How the police happened to be here I haven’t heard yet. I ‘move’ to the living room and find two police officers talking about the house alarm system. Apparently, the sensor on the sliding glass door tripped again. Getting no response from me on my land-line or cell-phone, the monitoring company called the police.

No fault here. Of course, by this time I had already been dead for two days.

At some point, the police will check my computer and find a document labeled Death. This will give the various authorities the directions for how my estate is to be handled.

My first trip to deep space was a random selection of direction. I pointed my finger and said that-a-way. As I mentioned earlier, I have no training in astronomy so here I am, floating above the white dwarf. Okay, now where? Home.

And here I am. I’ll try something else. My son Franklin is married with a wife and two kids, Sarah and Jack and three grand kids, William, Marie and Julianne. It’s late at night and my son and daughter-in law are asleep. I place my hand on his head just to give it a loving stroke. I never had as much time with him as I wanted and now it’s too late. But as my hand touches his brow, I seem to feel a connection. I close my eyes and can ‘see’ him. He is in R.E.M. sleep, dreaming.

Hello son, I said

Dad? he replied

How are you doing? I said

What’s happening?

I just want to tell you that I love you and Nicky and the kids.

I know that Dad, there is something wrong isn’t there?

I won’t lie to you. When you wake up there will be very bad news waiting for you.

What bad news?

You’ll know in the morning. You, Nicky and the kids have a wonderful life.

At that I leave.

I look up at the night sky and to myself say ‘there’. That’s where I want to go. To my amazement, I have found myself in outer space floating above what appears to be a sun. Looking around, I ‘see’ other lights in the distance. Could they be planets? I move over to the brightest of these lights to investigate. Nothing much to look at, just a big chunk of rock, but the next planet in looks promising. I ‘see’ signs of civilization, what looks to be streets and artificial structures. Going in closer, the structures seem to be well kept and the streets in good condition. I go inside one of the structures and there are creatures! Some form of hybrid/cyborg life form. Closer examination shows that the ‘people’ are wearing what seems to be mechanical augmentation ‘suits’. I remember seeing some stories regarding our researchers working on a similar ‘suit’. Ours were still connected by a bundle of cables for power and a computer to help the ‘wearer’ control the movement of the suit. As I recall, a company called EKSO Bionics developed what they called a ‘wearable robot’ also known as an ‘exosuit’. In January 07, the University of Texas at Dallas was involved with nanotechnology. Ray Baughman developed military-grade artificial electro-active polymer/muscles.

The inhabitant’s physical aspect is of a noticeably larger head than humans have but with a noticeably atrophied body. Their faces have eyes that slant downward from the outside corners. Where there would be a nose is barely more than a slit but their mouths seemed to have a full set of what looks like teeth. I couldn’t pick up any dialogue but then took a closer look and saw that their mouths were barely moving.

This is incredible! I must tell someone of these alien people, but who?

After giving this question some consideration, I decided that I should go to JPL.

There should be someone that could help. Next stop, Pasadena!

I have been to JPL in the past, putting in job applications as a technician. I never got any farther than taking their tests. Checking the directory, I find a suitable title. Dr. Kenji Huan, astrophysics. I’ll try the same approach on him as I did with my son. I’ll wait until Dr. Huan is asleep and ‘talk’ to him in a dream. It will be several hours yet before Dr. Huan leaves for home and probably several more before he retires for the night. My best bet is to wait for him to enter into the last REM state before contacting him…I now see his eyes moving. I touch his head:

Hello Dr. Huan

Hello, who are you?

My name is Alex and I have something very important to tell you

Important? What is it that you want to tell me?

In your office, later this morning I will tell you. At that, I take my leave.

I returned to JPL to keep my appointment with Dr. Huan but came up with another idea. Looking at the employee directory again, I find who I hope can help to me understand my weird existence. Dr. Colin Anders, a psychiatrist/para-psychologist. I will take the same approach with Dr. Anders as with Dr. Huan. Now, my meeting with Dr, Huan:

Good day Dr. Huan. He looks up, startled.

Who’s there?

My name is Alex. I introduced myself to you early this morning. Do you not remember your dream?

My dream? How do you know about what I dreamt?

I entered your mind while it was in a REM state. Dr. Huan, I have something fantastic to tell you. I have found another intelligent life form.

Why can I not see you? How can I hear you?

Dr. Huan, didn’t you hear me, an alien life form?

Alien life? Am I still dreaming?

Okay Dr. Huan, I’ll get back to you later.

I have to wait for Dr. Anders to enter into the last state of REM sleep, so I’ll head on out to space.

I have returned to the planet of the aliens. As I am ‘walking’ among them, I take more notice of their heads. Their skulls appear to be about twice the size of a human’s. This suggests to me the likelihood of greater intelligence. I must tell Dr. Huan of these aliens. But first I must convince him of my existence. I return to earth.

It is time for me to introduce myself to Dr. Anders:

Good morning Dr. Anders.

Good morning. Wait, who are you?

You can call me Alex. I died several days ago.

What!

Yes Dr., I am now in your dream but am very real. I think.

If you have died, how can you be in my dream?

That’s why I want your help. I have an idea, but I think that since you are a parapsychologist, you may know more about my presence than I can explain. I will meet you in your office later this morning. At that, I withdrew from his mind.

Dr. Anders has left for his office and I have decided to ride with him. Much to my surprise and delight, he is humming the theme music from the ‘Star Trek’. That show is more than 35 years old but occasionally the series/movies turn up on oldies t.v. channels.

At Dr. Anders office, I give him time to settle in and to have what seems to be a mug of something light brown, tea? Never mind. I’ll try something new. I ‘touch’ his mind with my hand and ‘feel’ a connection:

Hello Dr. Anders, I time my greeting so as not to startle him and cause him to spill his drink.

Who is it? Who’s there? Why can’t I see you?

Take it easy Dr., I’m Alex. Remember your dream?

Alex? Dream, am I still asleep?

"No Dr. Anders, you are very awake. As I tried to explain to you in your dream earlier this morning, I died several days ago. At least I left my body behind in my bed with the authorities looking over my very mortal remains. What I remember of my last night while still breathing was of my latest trip using astral-projection.

Astral projection, your body died while you were OBE?

Yes, that about sums it up Dr. Anders.

If you really are here, why can’t I see you?

I don’t know. How would I go about making an appearance?

This is a new experience for me even as a parapsychologist. Let me think about this for a moment… Okay Alex, I’ll take this situation at face value for awhile and see what I can do. I do have an idea for you. Since you seem to have an existence apart from your body, in your ‘mind’, try to form an image of your face as I would see it.

Okay. I would close my eyes to concentrate but I don’t know if that would have any effect. Even so, I concentrate. Sometime later, I hear the doctor gasp.

Alex! You did it! Your face is quite distinctive but completely white.

I move it about the room, ‘looking’ at the desk, neatly kept. Book shelves with titles covering ghosts, poltergeists and psychics. There are texts about psychiatry and anatomy. Out the slightly open window is a park like scene.

Dr. Anders, I can see your breath.

Oh! I hadn’t noticed.

Dr. Anders, I am going to undo my face. At that, I let it fade away.

It’s okay Alex. I was so distracted by your face that I didn’t notice the drop in temperature. Ah, now the room is almost back to normal. The creation of your face must have used the ambient radiant energy in the room. When you let your face fade, the energy was released back into the room. This is fantastic! Alex, this is something for hard science and I know just the person that might be able to help.

Who do you have in mind Dr. Anders?

Dr. Dawn Running Deer, she heads the quantum physics department at WCIT.

What is WCIT and what does quantum physics have to do with my situation?

Alex, WCIT is the West Coast Institute of Technology and if I’m right, quantum physics may explain how you are able to be ‘here’ despite your lack of a body. If you agree, I’ll call her now and see if I can get her to come over.

I agree. Dr. Anders gets on the phone.

Hello Dawn, Noah here. How are you?

Hi Noah, no complaints, what can I do for you today?

Dawn, something incredible has happened and I need your expertise in quantum physics to explain it. Can you come to my office?

What’s happened?

Please, come to my office as soon as possible. You’re going to want to see this.

Okay, as soon as I take care of some notes on my own work.

Thank you Dawn, see you soon.

As Dr. Running Deer enters Dr. Anders office about 90 minutes later, I notice that she is wearing an above the knee gray cotton skirt and a light pink cotton blouse with elbow length sleeves. She sees Dr. Anders sitting at his desk with a small smile on his face. He is wearing a new looking denim pants and a light yellow polo style shirt.

Hello Dawn.

Hi Colin, what’s up?

There is someone I want you to meet. Alex, please make a face.

Complying with the doctor’s request, positioned in the middle of the room, my face materializes. Seeing it appear in mid air, Dr. Running Deer stands still, no expression on her face.

Colin! Is this some kind of trick?

No Dawn. Have you noticed how the room feels?

It is really cold in here. How could it be? This is the middle of summer and I know that you usually keep your windows open. Now tell me, this is some kind trick!

No. Alex, introduce your-self to Dr. Running Deer.

At this, I ‘move’ over the doctor, place my ‘hand’ in her mind and ‘feel’ the connection.

Hello Dr. Running Deer. I’m Alex and I died several days ago. Her face now held one of surprise.

How is this possible? How can a dead man talk? Colin, what is this?

From what Alex has told me, he was engaged in astral-projection when his body died. I would categorize him as a ghost, but he seems to be too real for that. What I want to know, can quantum physics explain his continued presence?

This is really weird, astral projection? Why do you think that I would have any idea about Alex’s presence?

One of my favorite science fiction authors is Anne McCaffrey. In her book Pegasus in Space, at the end of the story, the main character, Rhyssa Owen was of the opinion that the psionic abilities of her people were derived from quantum mechanics.

Psionic abilities. Such as?

In her book, people were empathic, could levitate, were telekinetic and used mental telepathy. With the aid of a special generator, the ones with telekinesis could move heavy objects across space and time.

Alex, said Dr. Anders

Yes doctor?

De-materialize your face.

I let my face fade away.

Dawn, how does it feel in here now?

It feels warmer now, comfortable. What happened to the face?

You heard me tell Alex to let it go. He uses the heat energy in the room to ‘make’ his face. I just had a thought, for years people have experienced cold spots in haunted houses. What if these were real attempts by the deceased to materialize.

If that is a possibility, why has there been no solid proof?

Alex, how long have you been doing astral-projection?

About forty-five years, Dr. Anders.

That might explain why Alex can materialize. He is very experienced at OBE.

So you think that Alex is a ghost and because of his experience with OBE he still exists in the living world?

Yes!

Noah, how is Alex communicating with us?

I was hoping that you might have an idea.

Dr. Running Deer, I can tell you this much. When I ‘touch’ a person’s mind, my desire to talk to them creates a connection. Whether they are dreaming or awake, I am able to communicate directly with their mind, as I am doing with you and Dr. Anders.

That almost sounds ‘god-like’ Alex. Is there anything else you can do?

I have been to another planet, one with intelligent life.

What! Who else knows of this?

Dr. Kenji Huan. He has an office at JPL.

I know him. Good choice Alex.

Thank you Dr. Running Deer.

Alex, I have an idea. Instead of using heat energy to materialize, try looking inside yourself, deep inside. I think that it is possible that your existence is tied to quantum energy. See if you can tap that energy.

Very well Dr. Running Deer.

If it will help explain my strange existence, okay. I look deep.

What will I see? I seriously doubt anyone would know. I go deeper. There is something there! Incredible! I see what appears to atoms, glowing and stretching out to eternity. I look deeper and go beyond the glowing atoms. I will try to describe what I see. Multi-colored spheres. An infinite number of them, undulating and twisting about each other like slithering snakes. One strand of these orbs seems to be familiar to me. Why? I concentrate on this strand and feel like I am being pulled. This sensation lasts only a moment, but I find myself looking at the planet of the aliens. This string of spheres must act like some sort of recording, showing me where I have been. No doubt other strands will show where I have visited. As I am examining the spheres closest to me, one seems to draw my attention. I touch it and it separates into smaller spheres. I touch one of these smaller spheres and it separates into yet smaller ones. I take one of these orbs into my hand and slowly close it. I think about having a body and then almost immediately I hear a gasp.

Alex! You’ve done it. said Dr. Anders.

If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it! Dr. Running Deer said.

I take a look at myself. I do indeed have a body, though not what I had in mind. I was clad in what could only be described as a very white sheet covering me from a hood over my head then down to the floor. I hope that the coroner’s office doesn’t miss it.

You have the same face but now it is on what appears to be a six foot body. Dr. Anders said.

I was six one as a young adult, so at the time of my death I was probably a bit short of six foot.

Alex, there is something else I want you to try. Dr. Running Deer said.

What would that be?

Since you have materialized a body, could you have it speak?

I don’t know? Dr. Anders, do you have any idea?

Alex, I would like to help you, but what could I do?

Since you are a psychiatrist, you are also a medical doctor with training in human anatomy.

This is true Alex. I think I see where you are going. You want me to help you create the necessary organs needed for speech. This poses an interesting puzzle. Since you don’t have a corporeal body you will have to use quantum energy to create what you need as you did to ‘create’ your ‘body’.

Yes Dr. Anders, I want you to help me to visualize what I need.

Very well Alex. Basically, you need to move air from the chest and up through the esophagus, past the vocal cords, over the tongue and past the lips. We’ll start with moving air. The diaphragm is part of the autonomous nervous system and is responsible for the inhaling of air. Start with that Alex. Breathe.

Breathe. That means inhaling and exhaling. I think about the orb and how it enabled me to create this body. Okay, inhale…Is that air I feel moving inside me?

Exhale…again, that feeling of air moving.

Alex. You did it. You breathed. Dr. Running Deer said.

Okay Alex, see if you can form vocal cords. Place them just at the back of the throat then inhale then exhale.

This I do. As I inhale, I feel a low vibration. I exhale and experience the same sensation.

I heard that, weak but audible! Dr. Running Deer said.

I did too! Now Alex, you need a tongue. ‘Hear’ yourself forming words. Dr. Anders said.

Grasping the orb in my hand, I think about having a tongue and being able to speak. There is a kind of fuzzy feeling in my mouth. I try to say something.

Gaaahhh mnnnng r rn er. No good. I’ll try again. Gaaad mrrnng der rnnic dr. Close, but not there yet. Gud mernig . I stop here. Another hitch occurred to me.

Dr. Anders, I don’t know what you are hearing, but isn’t it being able to hear oneself talk necessary to proper speech?

"You have a valid point Alex, there are people who are profoundly deaf and their speech is affected.

As to what Dr. Running Deer and I are hearing, they are unintelligible sounds."

With Dr. Anders encouragement, I clasped the orb again and thought about a pair of ears.

The ears look good Alex. Dr. Running Deer said.

Alex, try enouncing vowels. Hear them in their long form and short form. Dr. Anders said.

Vowels, okay. Aaaaah…Aaay…Eh…EE. Ih…I, Oooo…Oh. Uhh…Uuh…U. Slowly, I go through this practice several times. A…E…I…O…Uhh…U!

That’s it Alex! Dr. Anders said.

In a wispy voice I say, good morning Doctors.

Good morning to you Alex. Dr. Running Deer said.

Congratulations Alex! Dr. Anders said.

Colin, this has been a very exciting day and I wish to more involved, but right now I have to get back to my official duties at the university. Alex, your presence has given a lot to think about. If you can, visit me at my office. If I’m not in, I’m sure that you will be able to find me.

Dr. Running Deer, I look forward to working with you on this. Dr. Anders said.

See you later doctors.

I must visit my son and his wife. By now they know the circumstances of my death. At their home, Nicki my daughter in-law is sitting at the kitchen table, her eyes swollen and blood shot. She’s been crying. Franklin’s face shows his grief. They must have heard from the police. I make my appearance in their living room.

Franklin I say. He doesn’t appear to have heard me.

Franklin I try to say with a little more force. He looks around.

In the living room I say.

He moves slowly into the room as if he had almost no energy.

Is there someone here? he asks. He hasn’t seen me yet.

Over here Son. He looks over to where I’m standing. I don’t seem to register to him yet. Slowly, recognition followed by bewilderment and disbelief.

Dad?

Hello Franklin. From the looks of you and Nicki, the police have notified you of my death.

Dad, what the hell is going on? The police came to the house a week ago, told us that you had died in your sleep.

Don’t you remember your dream from last week? I did try to warn you that you will receive bad news. I’m truly sorry it has upset you and Nicki so much.

I thought it was just a bad dream. I never considered that you were really there.

Honey, who are you talking to? Nicki asks from the kitchen.

What do I tell her Dad?

Son, I think that Nicki is strong enough to see me as I am now.

See you now? What the hell are you?

Please Franklin, have Nicki come in here. I’ll tell both of you.

Okay Dad, if you think so. Nicki my love, would you please join us in the living room.

Who’s in there with you? I didn’t hear the front door open.

As my daughter in-law enters the living room, she sees my son first, then my apparition. Her face clearly shows the shock she must be feeling.

Frankie, what in God’s name is that? She says loudly, pointing at me.

Hello daughter. I apologize for the shock that I have given you and Franklin but I want you both to know this. I am still here. Yes, my body died, but I didn’t.

Dad, how is this possible? my son asked.

Remember when I told you about astral-projection and how I was doing that?

Yeah, I remember. I said it was nonsense, that you were delusional.

That’s what I was doing when my body died. I was out in deep space. I’ll tell you sometime about what I’ve found. As it is, I have talked to some people and it is of their considered opinions that there is a very scientific reason for my extraordinary existence.

Father, we had a funeral service for you. Franklin and I, the children and grand children, most of our two families and your friends attended. How can you be here? Nicki asks

My dear Nicki, all I know is that somehow my years of astral-projection have saved me from absolute death. As I have tried to explain to Franklin, there is a scientific explanation. Admittedly, that has been a field of research only for the past twenty or so years. There are theories regarding certain energies that not even Einstein thought about. It seems that I am tapping into these energies.

Dad, all the kids, the families and your friends know that you are dead. Do I tell them of your existence as a ghost?

Son, I don’t believe that would be a good idea. Think about what would happen. How your family and closest friends would react if you told them about me. No Franklin, don’t tell anyone. But there is something that you can do for me. I should have put it in my will but it never occurred to me until now.

What would that be Dad?

I want you Nicki to hold a wake for me. Invite the family and friends to celebrate my ‘life’. Let it be an inside joke with just you and Nicki knowing the truth.

Honey, what do you think? Should we hold a wake for my father, a ghost?

Franklin asked.

Father, several years ago you came by to see us, but I was the only one home. At that time you confided in me something that I know came from your heart. Do you remember what you told me?

I remember.

May I tell Franklin?

Yes, if you really feel that you should.

Tell me what.

Frankie, you remember, I told you that your father came by for a short visit. He was here for most of the day. He came by to see you specifically, to apologize for not spending more time with you while you were growing up. I got the impression that your father felt that he was running out of time and wanted to make amends. That was the only time that I saw your father crying and it broke my heart. His biggest regret is of the hurt that he caused you by his neglect.

Dad! By now both my son and his wife had tears in their eyes. "You never caused me any hurt. I always knew that you loved and cared for me.

You were always there when I needed you, even when I didn’t know it myself. Any hurt I felt I did to myself. Yes! We’ll hold a wake for you!"

If it had been possible, I would have hugged my son and daughter. Were those tears in my eyes? I said good bye, assuring them that I would attend my wake, incognito.

After leaving my son and his wife, I felt need to clear my mind. What an odd thing for a ghost to think. Ah, I have an idea. I’ll introduce myself to the aliens.

Their planet, as seen from space looks much like our earth. If those are oceans, where ours are a dark blue, theirs are a more of a blue teal. The land masses are more prominent than ours but not by much. There are three small moons, with the biggest one in its own orbit and the other two spaced evenly on opposite sides of the planet. Upon closer inspection I see what appears to be a forest. The trees have leaves that have I have never seen on earth. I make my way to the structure that I had visited recently. Before I materialize, I must decide on the best way to introduce myself so as not to scare them. After some consideration, I decided on how to proceed. I would touch the mind of an occupant of this world.

I see a likely one to contact. As I touch its mind, I feel a connection.

Welcome back Alexander it says. There are two of these ‘people’ looking at me and I am greatly surprised at its response to my contact with it. How does it know where I am standing, my name and that I were here before?

Uh, hello? Real smooth Alex!

You are no doubt confused by our response to you. We were aware of your earlier visit and were waiting to see if you would return.

At this I decided to materialize. I felt the orb in my hand and pictured in my mind my body.

Ah, much better Alexander. We see that you are of a planet that you refer to as Earth and that you are a ‘human’. Is this correct?

Yes it is. Please, if I may ask, how do you know this of me and my planet?

"Our race has long had the ability to sense energy fields. We sensed yours and knew it to be unique.