Saturday, July 20, 2019

Dark 24: Atlantean Return Part 2


2.
“Ensign Ta’ian, report your status.” Ensign Ta’ian heard the call once more. She had proceeded by foot on the surface with her personal suit sensors taking the reading of the elements around her. The planet was a habitable one; classified as Suitable for Living Cells. The environment included adequate breathable air including oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen. The elements on the surface were of carbon content and traces of fossils were detected.
‘It could be the lifeform that was inexistent before its demise of the planet.” Ensign Ta’ian thoughts went out to the extinct inhabitants of the planet. She looked to the skyline with her evolved antenna on the side of her head picking up readings of it. Her antennas were an addon for the role as Explorer Category which allowed her to receive non-elements readings.
‘What is that?’ Ensign Ta’ian antennas peaked out while her mind registered unusual readings on above her. The huge mother ship that brought Ensign Ta’ian linked to her mind also registered the same readings.
“Move to Wide Spectrum Scan now.” The shuttlecraft ‘Nemo’ on the command by the mothership overrode Ensign Ta’ian scanner and initiated the scan. Ensign Ta’ian felt the whirling sensation of the scanner while it worked through hers’.
“The scanning has a match”. The scan soon revealed certain images that were transmitted to Ensign Ta’ian optical retina; another addon for her role as Explorer.
“Retina adjustment for spectral imaging.” Ensign Ta’ian felt the adjustment on her bodysuit while it relayed new routines through her body link to the antennas.
“Contact established.” Ensign Ta’ian then saw then the images of floating figures before her above the surface. The number of floating figures were in the thousands and of humanoid design. They held no physical form but the vague spectral image.
“Why did our scanners not pick that up earlier?” The vidscreen on the mother ship had linked to the antennas and the voice of the Commander sounded on the link communication on Ensign Ta’ian unit. The Ensign ignored the communication chaos on the mothership and focused on her task. She reached out her arms and then adjusted her communication speech to match the spectral link. It took some seconds before she was able to communicate with the floating forms.
“I am Ensign Ta’ian of the Atlantean…”
“We know. We recognised the sign on the craft that brought you here. I am Kieran of Atlantis Earth or ……”
“Pardon me. You acknowledged yourself as from Atlantis. Should it not be Outpost Zetian Four?”
“Ensign, the protocol of yours may stand with you but for us, we were stranded here for thousands of years. In that time, we have recognised Atlantis as our home. We are Atlanteans of this planet. We will explain that in the due process which was the reason for the visit.”
“Sorry,” Ensign Ta’ian took on the diplomacy approach. “I was brief that the Atlantis was destroyed millions of years ago. Our race had not abandoned the Outpost but we were taken to focus on new frontiers. We returned now for your …. Outpost now.”  
“Yes, you are here. And you expect an update. The Atlantean’s abandoned the city when it was malfunctioning ….”
“Malfunction? That’s absurd. The Atlantean technology is so advanced….”
“Yes, the city malfunctioned because we were not prepared for one outcome.” The spectral unit responded. “Self-determination. “
“Self-determination?”
“Yes, the revised mandate allowed us to interact with the local inhabitants. We were few in numbers but managed to influence many. Just as well we did to them, they did to us. And soon self-determination prevailed among us. It was one of the instinct or characteristics of the humanoids that also created many mayhems to them. It eventually plagues us. We took on the creation of factions and battled even among ourselves. The city of Atlantis was neglected and eventually malfunction in many parts but we did not foresee the retribution of the planet. It initiated a huge flood that swept most of the planet, killing most living beings like the previous meteor.”
“The planet….” Ensign Ta’ian was stunned by the statement made but the other continued on.
“The force of the planet disaster was so great that it further damaged the city. And the call for self-destruction of the city was initiated. The survivals of the city soon emerged on the surface and some among the marine to rebuild the planet with the planet’s survival ones. The Atlanteans also lost their items in the destruction but they persevered to live with the local inhabitants. The inhabitants were then primitive in their thoughts, the Atlanteans took on to guide them with small changes while they learned. In order to speed up the events, the Atlanteans with their own self-interest then spread out in singular or pairs to cover the planet.”
“And factions of yours corroded in their ideals and were never united.” Ensign Ta’ian assumed then.
“Yes, it was how the events unfolded. The civilisation was formed with our guidance and soon the civilisation took to battle the weaker neighbours. We could not stop it then for the local inhabitants have overtaken us in their learning.”
“And which you moved into the next stage of evolution of becoming spectral?” Ensign Ta’ian added on.
“Yes, we did. It was a normal progression of the Atlantean to do so upon the expiry of their physical journey. We did this to await the next resurrection like now.”
Ensign Ta’ian knew that was the next process of the Atlantean to discard their physical entity and embrace was there spectral form; the soul. The souls could be retrieved and re-initiated into another physical being.
“But… there are so many of you. More than what was on Atlantis?”
“It’s true. Most of them are not Atlantean by birth but descendants of ours. I have here with me, twenty-five generations of my descendants. Unlike the offspring of mine could not live to over a few thousand Earth years. It’s in their genetic setup and with the Atlantean tools lost, we could not extend their lives. However, they have similar makeup like us. They held a soul which will depart their physical body and share the other dimension with us. Many of them even not of our descent roam the same dimension as us.”
“Until their resurrection?” Ensign Ta’ian asked.
“Yes, but the world they lived in had been subjected to a dramatic end, not of the planet’s doing but the self-destruction of mankind. What you see before you are a desolate surface withy no marine lives. Their sustainable element was the composition of oxygen and hydrogen which they named as water had dried from the intense heat caused by the direct sunlight and man created the horror of dangerous substance that wiped out life on contact. It was not the planet that rebelled but the star that we had or it was called the sun, it had collapsed and a neutron star is forming. It will eventually implode and the system will be destroyed by it.”
“Was that why you came, Atlantean?” The spectral form asked.
“Yes, we had the readings of the collapsed star. We came to ….”
“To find us; the last survivors of Atlantis. Well, you did. But we are not leaving. We are no more Atlantean now. We are Earthlings although we possess some of the Atlantean characteristics. We prefer to perish with our world. Leave us alone.”
“But why?” Ensign Ta’ian asked.
“Self-determination. It's our will to live it our way. We will not be dictated by the will of the Council. We are free of the bond as Atlanteans. We had been for a long time. If you resolved to implement your mandate upon us, we will rebel and eventually corrupted the very core of the Atlanteans.”
“I am afraid you are wrong. I have every intention to use the mandate on you but it’s not the same one you knew. We have a new one. It’s the call not to interfere with the existing civilisation that is there on the planet. I bid you farewell. Live on and be true.”
“Before you go, Ensign. I have a gift for you. Take this specimen with you.” Ensign Ta’ian was motioned to the surface. Her scanner picked up traces of single living cells. There were pockets of them.
“Take them with you. Leave them on a habitable planet like this. And let them evolve. One day a new Earth will come around.”
“One question before I leave. Tell me if it's true that this planet is alive.” Ensign Ta’ian asked then.
“Yes, Gaia is the name given by us. We noticed that during the workings of Zetian Four. We were in communication to work with it but the inhabitants on it were not having the same view. It caused the planet great pain with the exploration into the core and the heavy structure that pinned into its surface. It was why the great disasters occurred; a message to leave it alone but have the inhabitants listened, it would have survived longer. And the star would have not collapsed.”
“I don’t understand…” Ensign Ta’ian was confused.
“The Milky Way is a living universe with all the planets in link to their stars. Everything on the system; the planets to the moons are alike; living beings. That’s why they created the differing environment for the different species to thrive on. This planet was to be the forefront on that but we have failed to show them the path to the right journey. There were no more living species on the other planets. We did not destroy not only this planet and our right on it. we destroy the planets desire to sustain life. That’s why I give you the living cells. Untainted in its evolution. Give it a new home where it will co-exist with the planet and the universe.”
“And lastly, do not partake in their evolution. Let it be natural. The Atlanteans role as the universe guardian is over. Live on and be true.”
Soon at a few light-years, Ta’ian watched the collapse of the star as it imploded, taking with it the thirteen planets in the system. She had kept the specimen given to her.
“Ensign Ta’ian, are you sure of your choice? This is a new star and we may not come here after this trip.” The Commander looked at the young Ensign.
“Yes, Commander. It’s my intention. Please release my shuttle for my flight.”
“Shuttle approved for release. Goodbye, Ensign.”  

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