The Power of Gnaris

By Les Bill Gates

The Karavec race have used the power of gnaris to travel vast distances across the universe, and have populated sunless worlds, including Arion and Hikon. They are led by Barrow, the Great Savant of the Karavec. When all the embryos in the Regional Embrycultural Centre on Arion are murdered and their blood stolen, Barrow calls upon the human, Jim Forster, to investigate the crime. Their search for answers takes them to another Karavec world, Hikon, in the solar system of Ogien, where they intercept an unexpected audio signal from a neighbouring planet called Ziemia. Many strange events happen on Ziemia as they seek the perpetrator of the crime known as the Saviour.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Les Bill Gates
• Release date: Sep 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9781310370922

Les Bill Gates

Leslie William Gates, who goes by the pen name of Les Bill Gates, was born in England in 1949. In 1972, he graduated from Keble College, Oxford University with an Honours degree in Mathematics. The following year he completed a Post-graduate Certificate in Education at Exeter University. Les has toured the world extensively and has spent more than twelve years in the Solomon Islands and more than twenty years in New Zealand. Les was a High School teacher and is the former Principal of King George VI National Secondary School, Solomon Islands. Les is now pursuing a new career as an author. ‘Hope’, the first part of the fantasy trilogy ‘Windows on Our World’, is his first book. The second part ‘Faith’ is awaiting publication, and ‘Love’, is still in progress.

Book preview

Prologue

Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States. The Speaker of the House turned to his right while making the formal introduction.

Piotr Wojciech Kowalski, fifty-fifth president of the United States of America, received a standing ovation as he strode confidently across the dais. He shuffled his papers, and prepared to deliver his State of the Union address to a joint session of the U.S. Congress on Capitol Hill.

The president entered into a long speech, outlining his administration’s policies on domestic and foreign affairs, emphasising the successes and ignoring the failures.

He was ready to wrap up when his Chief of Staff, James Donahue, entered from the rear of the dais and whispered into the president’s ear.

The president smiled and cleared his throat. Ladies and gentlemen, I have a special announcement. This House is the first to hear this news. I have just been informed that NASA has today launched KEO 3.

A buzz of excitement echoed around the auditorium. Everyone knew about the two previous time capsules. Nevertheless, the president gave a brief overview. The first president of Polish descent did not have a reputation for succinctness.

"As you probably know, KEO 1 was launched sixty-one years ago, and is due to return to the Earth fifty thousand years from now. It carries messages from the people of Earth, and contains samples of various minerals from our planet, a drop of blood encased in a diamond, and human DNA. When it eventually returns, it is intended to inform humans of the future of the life we led here in the early twenty first century. KEO 2 was launched in 2036. It is much more sophisticated. It includes a detailed history of the Earth and its human population, with messages from world leaders of the time, and recordings of sounds and images portraying the diversity of life and culture on Earth.

"KEO 3 is a different proposition altogether. It has a sophisticated system of computers. If any human, or other alien being of even rudimentary intelligence, should come across KEO 3, the computers will give them precise instructions on how to access the information the pod contains. They will be led step by step through the process, firstly by teaching them the English language, and then how to apply that knowledge to follow further instructions, gradually being educated and informed of every known fact that we in the late twenty-first century Earth are aware of − everything. Nothing will be left out. If the human civilisation as we know it should be eliminated, then someone or something else will be able to rediscover the roots of our civilisation, and even replicate it.

Members of Congress, this is a historic day for our nation and for the whole wor . . .

The president’s last words were drowned out by another thunderous standing ovation.

Chapter 1 – The Sunless World

Beware of your friends. The enemy within, whom you thought you could trust, is deadlier than any foe.

− The Book of Karavec (37, 11)

Jethrow, chief embryculturalist for the Karavec, arrived later than usual at the Regional Embrycultural Centre on the planet Arion. The centre housed all the cradles on the planet.

In his haste to make up for lost time, Jethrow dropped his key card. When he stooped to pick up his card, he spluttered and choked. A strange foul smell came from under the door. He fumbled to swipe his card, entered his PIN and waited for the sensor to do a retinal scan.

The door opened, and he passed inside. Jethrow’s heart missed a beat when his gnaris failed to sense any of the nurses who should be tending the embryos. A deathly silence pervaded the room. He grappled in his pocket for the torch he rarely used. He flicked the switch of the torch and took a few seconds for his under-developed eyes to become accustomed to the light. His worst fears became a real nightmare when he saw puddles of emerald green fluid, the colour of Karavec blood, on the floor.

Jethrow took just a few moments to assess the situation. The body of a nurse lay on the floor just a couple of metres to his left; another slumped over the bench where he had been working. A third body filled the entrance to one of the cradle repositories. All the nurses had their throats cut, a crude method of annihilation not often seen anywhere in the Milky Way in the thirty eighth century. A look of horror was etched on their gaunt, bony faces.

The chief embryculturalist did not touch a thing, but moved to enter one of the repositories. When he did so, a stench the like of which he had never smelt before, overcame him. He felt nauseous and began to retch. He held a cloth to his nose, and edged his way inside. All the embryos lay dead in their cradles. Their bodies appeared emaciated and anaemic, but Jethrow knew they had always been well-tended. Severed limbs and other body parts littered the floor. Murder? An attempt at annihilation of the Karavec race? There must be some other explanation.

Jethrow exited the room gasping and choking, trying to breathe freely again. All of the embryos in all of the repositories of the Regional Embrycultural Centre had been murdered, and their blood had been taken.

* * * * *

Jim Forster stepped down from his starship onto the surface of a planet he had never before visited. Apart from the darkness that surrounded him, broken only by the dim light of a torch he held, what struck Forster about the strange planet was that it seemed cool, but not icy cold as he had expected. Arion also remained in constant darkness apart from a tiny crimson ball that rose and set in a continuous cycle every twenty eight hours, but otherwise did not function as a sun to its eighth and outermost planet.

The Karavec had populated many worlds in the north-west sector of the Milky Way, all of them sunless. This planet was the second most important world the Karavec had settled in the Milky Way. The Great Savant, Barrow, leader of the Karavec since the time they had departed from their original home many galaxies away, spent several weeks every year visiting the other planets of his empire, and these brutal events coincided with his yearly visit to Arion.

Welcome to Arion, Captain Forster. As a citizen of our allies on Earth, I bid you welcome.

Forster strained to see the owner of the voice. In the gloom, all he could determine was a shadowy figure. Despite the welcoming words, he couldn’t help but fear for his safety on a strange planet. Instinct told him that the person who had welcomed him must be the one who had sent for him, the Great Savant.

Thank you, Barrow, Great Savant of the Karavec, thank you for your welcome. May you always find favour with the gods, and prosper. Forster had done his homework, and knew the correct way to address the great leader of the Karavec.

Follow me.

Forster followed the shadowy figure through a narrow doorway and onto the top stair of a flight that led downwards. He was glad to see dim lights above shining down on the stairs to give him some assistance to see his way.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, they passed into a room that was poorly-lit, but with sufficient light for the visitor to see his host clearly for the first time. The Great Savant was not tall. He wore a brown leather body armour and thigh length brown boots. His face was lined and wrinkled, light olive green in colour, and his face and head were hairless. In many respects he resembled a very old member of the human race, but there were two other significant differences: the poorly-developed eyes had large widely-separated sockets, and his hands each had only four fingers.

Please be seated. The old savant indicated a chair on one side of a circular table for his visitor. He himself sat on the other side.

You speak our language? Forster asked.

Yes, I have some knowledge of English, but please speak slowly. Would you care for some refreshment?

The Great Savant knew that his offer would be declined, but protocol demanded that he should offer. He understood that his guest would not accept food or drink from anyone without being sure of its efficacy. They were allies, but trust between allies can sometimes be wafer thin.

No thank you, Forster replied, I have had ample refreshment on board my ship. Shall we begin?

This is a matter of great concern to me and to those few of my people who know of this. So, how shall I begin? This is a very delicate matter, and knowledge of it must be kept from my people . . .

Forster held one finger to his lips. I will, of course, treat this with the utmost confidence. Please rest assured that I will share what you have to tell me only with those whom I can trust, and there will be very few of them. None of your people, except those who already know, will hear a word of this. Please go on.

Karavec do not reproduce like humans.

Yes, of course I have a rudimentary knowledge of Karavec biology. But, please continue.

Male and female Karavec do not mate like humans do. The Karavec reproductive organs produce two kinds of seed that are planted in an artificial environment in the Regional Embrycultural Centre. If a seed from a male Karavec comes into contact with a seed from a female Karavec, they fuse together to form an embryo encased in a thin egg-like pod. Nurses transfer the embryos to cradles in one of the repositories in the centre. The Karavec embryo grows for up to two years inside the pod, which expands while the young Karavec grows. During that time, they are tended by nurses under the direction of the chief embryculturalist. After two years, the young Karavec break out of their pods. They are fully developed and able to exist independently in the world outside the centre.

A cough from Barrow jolted Forster back to the present. He ran his fingers through his grey beard. Can you please get to the point? Why did you seek my help?

As you may know, because we come into season so rarely, Karavec embryos are very valuable. They are often bought and sold for large amounts of money. The richer Karavec even own their own cradle and grow future servants and guards for themselves.

So, have some of the embryos been stolen?

No. That we could handle ourselves. We have many systems in place to pursue and bring to justice thieves of embryos. This is much more serious. Embryos, some of them almost ready to emerge from their pods, have been killed.

Killed, how?

They were butchered, like some primitive animal from another world. The method used was very crude.

Do you have any suspects?

No, but I believe that this was an inside job. A Karavec has done this thing.

How do you know?

None but a Karavec could have passed the retinal scan test.

Forster opened his eyes wide. Oh?

Our eyes are different from those of any other race. They are very sensitive to the light.

Forster already knew this, but probed Barrow for more information. I see. So, how exactly can I help you?

I need someone who is not from Arion to investigate this abomination. Your reputation as a detective is known throughout the galaxy.

Reputation or not, you are very fortunate that my ship was in the vicinity. It would have taken months for me to arrive if I had been on Earth.

Maybe it is not just a coincidence. Perhaps the gods called for you.

Unlikely I have no knowledge of your gods, and have no interest in religion.

Barrow nodded.

I will need a suite of rooms.

Barrow waved in acquiescence. Yes, anything you say. The accommodation will be provided.

When I have rested a little, I will begin. Firstly, I will need to view the crime scene. I take it nothing has been disturbed.

Nothing.

Then I will make some preliminary enquiries, interrogate the witnesses and interview all those who work at the centre. But, there is one more condition.

Your fee?

My fee is twenty thousand kar. But that is not what I meant. There is another condition apart from the fee.

Barrow tugged at his sleeve. The fee is not a problem, but what is your . . . condition?

After I finish here, I need your permission to visit Hikon.

Impossible. No one visits Hikon except the Karavec.

Those are my terms. Forster stood up, and prepared to depart.

Wait. What is your interest in Hikon?

All will be revealed.

Barrow patted his bald head, as the Karavec do when they are thinking.

Very well, he said with a sigh. But I will accompany you, and you must not leave my sight.

Forster smiled and nodded his approval.

* * * * *

Jethrow tapped on the arm of his chair while he waited to be interviewed by the strange human. He had never left Arion, and his experience with visitors from other planets had been very limited. So, when Forster called him into the interrogation room, he paused before hauling himself to his feet, and then ambled through the door. He sat, slowly raised his head to face Forster, and twiddled his thumbs.

A female Karavec sat next to Forster.

I am Elena. Lord Barrow had assigned me to be Captain Forster’s assistant and interpreter. I will speak on his behalf. I have been chosen because I have lived for three years on Earth, and have studied the English language, the common language spoken by the people of Earth. I will assist in the interrogation and serve as interpreter when required.

With Elena’s help, Forster began interrogating Jethrow. You were the one to discover the crime?

Yes.

Can you tell me everything you know?

Jethrow related all that had happened from the moment he dropped the key card to the time he sounded the alarm.

Was there any indication as to how the perpetrator had accessed the centre?

None at all. I did not detect anything unusual until I smelt . . . the stench was unbearable.

I have examined the bodies of the nurses and the remains of the embryos. They were all mutilated with a sharp object − probably a knife. Did you see anything that might have been used as the murder weapon?

I saw nothing. The perpetrators must have taken it with them.

Perpetrators? Was there more than one?

I don’t know. I am just guessing. How could one Karavec have overcome the four nurses at the same time using such a primitive weapon?

Unless they knew him, and trusted him.

Jethrow’s face turned a deeper shade of green. You’re not suggesting . . .

All employees at the centre are suspects. That includes you.

Jethrow studied the face of