Sisters

By Gloria Fifield

Janine/Jal'ren has a mission to accomplish as Earth's Emmisary and teacher for all mankind. That mission is to make our world ready to enter Pach'tra and become part of the community of intelligent species that inhabit the worlds of our galaxy. Before that can happen, Janine/Jal'ren will have to survive the ones who would kill to prevent her coming of age. The mission becomes more complicated when her DNA is stolen. Will the resulting children be part of her mission? Will they cause that mission to fail? Only time will tell. The question is, will they have that time?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gloria Fifield
• Release date: Dec 22, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005043315

Gloria Fifield

I've always loved books. Even as a kid, that was my favorite pastime, escaping into the fantasy world of whatever book I was reading. Sorry to say, I started writing a bit late in life, but once I started, I couldn't stop. So far, I've tried writing what is sometimes called chic lit, family sagas, mystery, and sci-fi. My latest, is a real epic tale that is a historical fiction novel. Now, that was a challenge. I tackled it because my late partner was fond of telling me not to sell myself short. He said that if my mind could think it, I could write it and he was so right. At the moment, I'm living in sunny Florida with my two feline companions and enjoying working on a brand new collaboration with my brother Dean Fifield (who is also a writer.) Hopefully, we'll be presenting it to you for your reading pleasure real soon.

Book preview

Chapter one

Janine concentrated on the teaching machine floating in mid-air. She felt a tingling sensation throughout her body as she absorbed the data from the spinning orb. Suddenly, the orb became silent and settled itself on the floor in front of her. A soft voice replaced the data stream she had been receiving from the machine.

"You have learned all you can … for now."

"But … I'm not ready."

"Never the less, you are needed ...elsewhere." Janine bowed her head. The Ancient ones never explained their decisions. If they said she was needed, she could only accept it and discover for herself why. Resigned, the girl rose slowly, pulled her robe around her shoulders then left the Center. All she could do was to walk slowly in the general direction of home. There would be no more lessons until she finished with whatever she was needed for.

"Sister, what do you think they meant about being needed?" Janine quieted her mind and waited for Jal’ren's reply.

Jal’ren wondered when the Ancient Ones would send them away. Her thoughts touched the mind of her twin, We’ve been away for a long time. Mom didn't want to worry us, but I’ve felt her confusion and ... disquiet for a while now.

"Why haven’t you told me? Is she ..."

"No, Nini, she isn't in danger, at least not physically. She's worried about Dad … and of course, Aaron."

Janine tried to ignore the fact that Jal’ren called her by her childhood nick-name, Nini. She felt she'd outgrown all that. Other more important things needed her attention at the moment. She wondered briefly what her little brother could be up to now.

"Why is Mom worried about Dad? He's still working on his project, isn’t he?" With the mention of her dad's work, Janine felt a slight tremor from her sister. "Well, isn't he?"

"No … at least I don't think so. Mom is almost as good at shielding her thoughts as you are … Sister." By dropping the childish nick-name, Jal’ren let Janine know that she really didn't think she was that juvenile. Being joined with a human was sometimes exasperating, but it was getting easier as they grew older. As Janine matured, so did her understanding and behavior.

To most humans, Janine would seem to be like any normal twelve year-old, but she was so much more than that. Janine gracefully accepted the part she was destined to play in human history. She struggled at times to control her human emotions to show that she was worthy of the responsibility that would soon be hers. As with most children her age, she tried but wasn't always successful.

Both her Watcher parents and the human couple that were her earthly parents were as proud as they could be of the way she willingly stepped into the role expected of her. Janine/Jalren were continually surprising them with the extent of their abilities as well. Partly due to their joined nature, partly shared genetics, Janine showed strong abilities early in life and was growing stronger as she matured. Fortunately, her sense of responsibility kept Janine from using her powerful gifts in a harmful way.

Thinking about her family, Janine questioned her sister further, You said Mom was worried about both Dad and Aaron. Why?

Again she felt hesitation, "Dad no longer works for the project. He feels everything he worked so hard for has been a sham … a waste of time, energy, and his years of learning."

"I can see why she'd worry. What about Aaron? He's only eight. How much trouble could he possibly give them to worry about?" She stopped and thought about her own childhood.

Jal’ren sighed, You see then. It isn't easy living in our shadow.

"No, I don't suppose it is. Is that why we are needed?"

"Only partly. I have a feeling Jake is involved somehow. It's like there is a sameness about him and our brother."

"There is, you know. Ancestrally, they are related. I don't know, there are thousands that could claim the same lineage. Not many bond, especially with such an age difference."

"That's true enough, but in Jake and Aaron's case, I think it has more to do with having similar feelings about their lot in life, not genetics."

"You mean ..."

"You haven't noticed? Jake has always been very unhappy here. He lost his mother, the most important part of his childhood, and was forced into a life that felt alien to him. In many ways it still is. He felt alone in his misery. Our brother feels somewhat alone as well. They are drawn together by these feelings."

"What can we do about it? We can't help the way Aaron feels any more than we could ever change what happened to Jake."

"No one can change that."

"So, what are we supposed to do for them? I mean, we can't change things, probably shouldn't even if we could."

"Our brother needs to feel as important as we are. He thinks we are loved and needed foremost and that he is only an afterthought, an accident in the family."

"How can he possibly feel that way? Dad and Mom were so excited and happy to find out he was coming. When we fought the Others in the desert, couldn't he see that we and our parents were all trying to protect him? You and I needed no further protection by then, but he was newly born. Would we fear for him like that if he wasn't important or loved?"

"He doesn't see it that way. He saw us protecting not just him, but our parents. He saw us treated like an adult even though we normally wouldn't gain that status for many years yet. Of course he'd feel less appreciated and loved."

Janine could see Jal’ren was right. Aaron wasn't even in the least of her thoughts lately. He was fun to teach when he was little, but she lost interest in him when she went to stay with the Ancient Ones in their desert refuge two years ago. Her infrequent visits home did little to strengthen a bond between them. She saw clearly how her being granted permission to continue learning apart from the family as a valid reason for her brother's unhappiness.

What disturbed her more, was the mention of her childhood friend Jake and his feelings of loneliness. She remembered the sullen boy that shyly knocked on their door bringing an invitation to have tea with his grandfather and great-aunt. It seemed so long ago.

"What about Jake? Have I/We neglected him too?"

Jal’ren softly answered,It was necessary. We had to learn from the Ancient Ones the things that will make our work with your species possible. At some point, all beings must take responsibility for their own destinies. We can each make our destiny possible, or we can fail.

"And you think he's failed?"

"Not yet, but if he goes along the path he's choosing much longer, he will. We can guide, provide inspiration, but ultimately, he will have to choose that destiny for himself … or some other he likes better."

"There's still hope then?"

"There is always hope." Jal’ren's thoughts faded softly into the background, leaving Janine with much to consider on her long walk home.

Chapter two

She's coming, Dear. I knew she would. Jan was excited that Janine, her Nini, was on her way home. It was several months since her last visit and Jan was anxious. True, they were able to communicate in their own fashion over the distance, but sending and receiving thought messages was not nearly as satisfying as being able to see her daughters, to feel her arms around them and hold them close to her.

Jan tried to curb her anxiety whenever they talked, but it was difficult. She was certain one or both of her daughters would pick up on it sooner or later. Much had happened while they were away and the news Jake brought that morning weighed heavily on her mind.

Old White Elk was near death and asked him to bring Nini to him. Sparrow sent him looking for her. Jan told him Nini would know she was needed and come. She always seemed to know. Just to make sure, she asked Be’jan to reach out to the girls letting them know to come and quickly.

Whether it was their message, or whatever reason, Nini reached out to tell her she would be there soon. Not wanting to stick around and wait, Jake drove into town and said he would stop on his way back to give Nini a ride out to the reservation. As usual, Aaron wanted to go with him, but she told him no, that there would be other times they could share.

Aaron didn't argue. He never did. Instead, he simply shrugged his shoulders and walked away. When Jan tried to reach out to her son, she found his mind closed. It was literally like talking to a stone wall. That he could close his mind to her wasn't near as troubling as the fact that he did. He walled himself off and let no one come in close, not even Kevin. She knew it hurt Kevin that his son, his only son, shut them out like this.

Kevin was overjoyed when he first learned that he and Jan were having another child, this time one that was wholly theirs. He loved Nini and Jal’ren dearly, but had to share them with Alrec and Be’jan. Aaron was conceived the old-fashioned way, totally human, at least as much as any other human. They had since learned there were many individuals carrying genetic markers shared with them by ancestors of a race of beings they knew as Watchers and Others.

The Watchers evolved to a non corporeal form of light energy, while the Others remained as they were. A group of Others became stranded in our distant past and passed on their genes to the offspring they had with humans living then on the earth. Scattered all over the globe, they hid among their adopted race to avoid annihilation when their own kind finally came looking for them. By that time, they had families to protect. The best protection was to become like the humans they bonded with. They in essence, became human. More accurately, a longer lived kind of human that often had certain gifts from their original genetic makeup. These gifts were also hidden … for the most part.

Occasionally someone would display those hidden talents, but among the more primitive societies in which they now lived, that could spell disaster. Through the centuries, the origin of these gifts was lost, hidden by the myths and legends surrounding their forefathers. After several generations, they were a forgotten race, a piece of the human puzzle that was lost … or so it was thought.

In recent history, a small group began searching out the remnants of this forgotten race, trying to put the many pieces back together as a whole. Individuals that showed a high PSI level, were recruited and drawn into their organization. Jan and her family were among these. So was Kevin's friend and co-worker, Dennis Correlli. He was the one that helped Kevin spirit his family away from the watchful eyes of the Others.

He pretended to work for them long enough to find Kevin and Jan's daughter, Janine but found more than he bargained for when it became clear to him she was a joined child. Not in his wildest dreams did he expect to find the offspring of Watchers on this world. Being related genetically, he understood the implications almost immediately, although his hopes of reconciling the two branches of his ancestral tree came to naught when it was decided the human hybrid remnant weren't quite as ready for this reunion as they thought.

Kevin missed his friend since Dennis was reassigned to another project. The research they were supposed to be doing was only a cover, a means to get Kevin and his family to safety. He was no longer needed in that capacity now that Janine proved strong enough to defeat anything the Others could throw at her.

All pretense of doing research could be dropped now that they no longer needed to hide. As a parting gift, Dennis managed to arrange that Kevin's family be cared for financially so they could remain in the secluded corner of wilderness they chose as their home. A place without prying eyes was still the best place for Janine to grow up and learn to control her abilities.

With Dennis’ help, they also discovered an ancient refuge built by his alien ancestors when they were stranded on this world. The refuge had become the home of The Ancient Ones, a tiny remnant of the original refugees that still survived in seclusion. Janine could now learn from them things she would need to become the teacher of mankind she was born to be.

Finally hearing what his wife was telling him, Kevin smiled at her. It was the first time he smiled in days. It was no wonder Jan worried about him. Not having a purpose in life took a toll on a man. When she saw she had his attention, Jan told him about Jake and the message he brought, He said White Elk was pretty bad. They don't expect he'll last the night. Jake says the only thing that keeps him from letting go is wanting to see Nini one last time.

Kevin replied, "That doesn't surprise me. After all, he recognized her before we ever came here. He told me once he was given a vision of her and that he along with Sparrow, was supposed to teach her the ways of the people. I guess he meant his people."

I'm sure he did. Sparrow told me much the same thing. They seem to think she is the embodiment of their legends about a Starchild that would come to them bringing peace and balance to the entire world. Of course, we know what those legends are based on, but belief is a powerful thing.

Powerful enough to keep an old man alive after all hope is gone? I wonder.

I wonder too … why it's so important he see her one more time. We'll know soon enough, I suppose. She'll be here shortly. I can feel her close by. Kevin frowned slightly. It was still a sore spot with him. Unlike him, Jan had this close mind connection to the children … the girls in particular. He could barely communicate telepathically with them and only within close proximity.

Have you told her about White Elk? She might want to go there first.

I did, but she says that it would be faster if she rode with Jake than if she detoured and walked.

"Yeah, that is if he comes back like he said he would."

She looked at him inquiringly, What makes you so sure he won't?

"Come on, Jan, you aren't that blind to what he's been up to these days … are you?"

Jan had to admit to herself, Jake wasn't what could be called reliable. Since he started running with the wilder young men on the reservation, he'd started drinking and gambling away what little he earned from the part time job he had at the filling station there. She certainly had her doubts, but this was his grandfather … surely he wouldn't just run off and abandon him like that, or would he?

"No, I'm not that blind, but this is his grandfather that needs him. He must have some feelings for the old man. He wouldn't go off on a drunk knowing he'd never have the chance to see him again."

Don't be too sure. All I'm saying is not to depend on him. If he's not here by the time Nini gets here, you drive her. I'll come too, if you want, although I don't know how much good I'll be.

Don't be silly, of course I'd want you with me. I'm sure Nini would too. I think I'll get a backpack with a few things just in case we break down or something.

Kevin smiled again, that was one of the many things he loved about his wife. She was always the practical one. Whenever she decided to do something, she'd prepare for any possibility. It saved their bacon more than once over the years, especially living this far away from civilization. The desert was a beautiful, but unforgiving place to live.

"You do that and I'll leave a note here for Jake if he ever shows up." Kevin searched his desk for a pen and paper then hastily scrawled a message telling Jake to meet them at his grandfather's. He had little faith that Jake would ever see it, but Jan still tried to believe there was good in him, so for her sake he'd give the boy the benefit of doubt.

Kevin looked around for any sign of his son. He grumbled, That boy and his video games. If he only spent as much time on his lessons ...

He was cut short by a small voice in his mind, "Dad, I'm not playing video games. I'm ready to go whenever you are."

The sadness he heard in Aaron's voice disconcerted him a little. He didn't know what to make of the boy sometimes. Good. There's no time to waste from what I understand. All we're waiting for is your sister ... He was stunned by the swear word he heard slip into his son's thoughts. "Now, where did that come from?"

Sorry Dad, I guess it's just that everything's always about her isn't it? Aaron plopped himself down on the sofa with a disgusted look on his face.

Now Aaron, let's be fair. It isn't always about Nini, you know it isn't. Kevin never had any brothers or sisters so he didn't understand sibling rivalry. Jan should better be able to deal with it, but she seemed oblivious. He wondered why. He forgot his son could hear his thoughts.

"I'll tell you why. She is connected to Nini a lot more than me because Nini is all she cares about. I don't really matter, I was just an accident. You guys weren't trying with me like you were with her. If it hadn't been for them, neither of us would be here, but all she cares about is Nini!"

That's simply not true! Your mother and I both wanted you very much. It's true you were a surprise and that we weren't really trying, but we were so happy when we knew you were coming. I'll tell you what. Look back carefully in your memories. I know the connection to you wasn't physically as strong, but it was there.

Aaron concentrated. Things were difficult