The Eleusian Effect
Chapter 22 Exodus

September 27, 2169, 1130 Hours

“She’s awake!” The Emissary had been unconscious for three days. I was monitoring her vitals when her eyes flickered open. “I am alive?” Her voice was low and labored.

“Yes. Are you still the Emissary or Marcus?”

“We are both still here. I must return to the omnisphere to transfer the data.”

“You need to rest. You’ve been out cold for three days.” I was concerned that my unusual patient may object.

“I do need rest. I will do as you say, Doctor.”

That was easier than I thought. I sent the news to the Captain. She responded that we should meet and discuss the Emissary going back to the cavern. I had a feeling that it was important for the Emissary to go back to the sphere, but I didn’t know why. Jamie Braddock contacted me and updated me about the Eleusian data. “It seems like we lucked out. The backup drives are working.” “Can you process the rest of the data?”

“Yes. It will take longer, our drives aren’t as fast as the originals but we can do it.”

“Keep me posted.”

I read through some data for about an hour and went up to meet with Tanner.

“Do you feel different since the Emissary came?” It was something that in the back of my mind.

“As a matter of fact I do feel different. Connected somehow. Probably having to do with the Eleusians and what happened to us.” Tanner was unusually thoughtful.

“I agree. I have to believe that Marcus, the Emissary are connected to the sphere.”

“That means we are too. That could explain that hum we heard. Marteen and Baskin couldn’t hear it.”

“I thought the same. Do you think it’s safe to let the Emissary go back to the sphere?”

“I’m not sure. Braddock is still working on the last of the Eleusian data.”

“She called the planet “Trillian’. I would think there would be other life on the planet besides Marteen’s people.”

“We have only the initial scans to go on. We should set up expedition teams to explore the rest of the planet. Let’s talk to Marteen and the elders to incorporate their knowledge; maybe they’d be willing to add their own people to each team.” “That’s a good idea. They seem to have a handle on the planet already.”

September 30, 2169 1330 Hours

After preparing for a multi-team expedition, I went to check on the Emissary. She was sitting up and chatting with the med-techs about Eleusian history. She apparently was up to speed about the downfall of their civilization and seemed sad about it. I came in with my pad. “I am clearing you from sickbay. You are free to go, although we have a request.” “What is it?” She had a little of that unearthly tone in her voice again.

“We, meaning the Captain and bridge staff, would like to accompany you when you download your data to the sphere.”

“The energy I use to propel myself can only affect my body. I cannot carry people.”

“We can use a shuttlecraft to fly with you-or even you ride with us until we get to the cavern.”

“That is acceptable. But only the ‘enhanced females’ as you call them may attend. I fear anyone else may be negatively affected.” “In what way?”

“Males cannot absorb the sacred energy. In your words, they do not have the genetic makeup to handle it. They would die. Your normal females would be sick and infirmed for the rest of their lives. Only enhanced females would be unharmed.” “Okay, I will tell my people.”

“Also your shuttlecraft would be destroyed.”

“That’s a problem.”

“I cannot change these facts. I would if I could.”

“All right. I will make the arrangements.” I agreed with the Emissary that it was prudent to limit personnel for the event. We had most of the original bridge crew briefed and ready to make the trip back to the cavern. Marteen and Baskin had gone back to the Community to prepare a group for the expeditions. I hated to tell Marteen that he could not go. It’s like kicking someone out of their house to make repairs. I would tell him when I was off duty.

We decided to launch the expedition early the next morning. I advised the teams to use the rest of the day to finish any last minute tasks and get some rest. I knocked off at about 1500. I was reading my subspace message from my parents and Bill when my comm came alive.

“Lieutenant Conway to Dr. Obama.”

“Go ahead.”

“Ma’am, I have an incoming message marked urgent from the planet. It’s Captain Marteen.”

“Put it through.”

“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON, OBAMA?” Marteen was very angry.

“Whoa, calm down, Philip. What’s the matter?”

“I was just informed that we can’t be there at the sphere when the Emissary initiates the download!”

“That’s correct. The Emissary said it would be harmful to anyone who wasn’t enhanced. We have no idea what would happen to you. It’s a safety measure.” “This planet has been my home for the last 15 years!”

“I know but we are dealing with technology we don’t fully understand yet. I am asking you to trust us. Trust me. Let us investigate this and we will share information and let you and the Community know what happened.” Marteen went silent for a moment. “Okay. I suppose we’ve waited this long. Let me know what happens.”

“I will, I promise.”

“It’s not fair.”

“I know. I wish there was another way. I’m sorry.”

“All right. Marteen, out.”

I was curious as to why Philip was so hell bent on being there when the Emissary downloads. I went to the bridge and sat at my console. I suppose he is connected to the planet much like we enhanced females are connected to the Emissary. I wondered if there was any information about the spheres and the Emissary concept in the drives. I patched into the Eleusian backup drives and looked up the omnisphere and the concept of the Emissary. The Eleusians had millennia of technologic advances which in essence allowed them to explore the universe, albeit somewhat remotely. The spheres were in essence direct emissaries in the fact that they would assimilate the local intelligent life to communicate and affect them. God only knows how it would affect those lifeforms long term. I read more about the Eleusian’s space exploration methods. Their technology was so advanced that it seemed nothing could stop them from exploring the cosmos. Finally I found what I was looking for. According to their Space Directorate, the Eleusians were looking for lifeforms that were similar to them. They seem to believe that there were more Eleusians or cousins beyond the solar system and they were looking for them. Downloading the information was supposed to initiate some sort of wormhole and be sent back to Venus. Due to the amount of energy it took, the download would only happen when the Emissary could hold no more data. Once the sphere was activated, an inner pod would receive the data and separate from the sphere. The sphere would then convert itself to some type of mechanism and it would generate and expel a mass of energy in order to send the datapod back to Venus. All of a sudden I felt queasy, like a terrible cataclysm was coming. I spent the next few hours trying to determine how much energy would come from the sphere when it was ready to send the datapod home. Once I processed my replaceings I was horrified. I called Jamie Braddock to check my replaceings. “The math checks out, Doc.” “Is it really possible for the sphere to generate that much energy?”

“As you said yourself, we are still learning about the Eleusian technology. It took eons for them to design this thing. There’s a lot we still don’t understand.” “Most of what I found flies in the face of conventional physics. We have to be positive about this.”

“I guess one more person could check it.”

“Tracy should. She’s as good at this stuff as the rest of us.”

“I’ll call her.”

As I suspected, Tracy confirmed my replaceings. I felt bad because it meant uprooting the Tempest Community. I called Tanner and had her come to my console. We moved the discussion to the conference room to discuss the next move. “Marteen isn’t going to like this.” I mused.

“He’s not going like being vaporized either.” Jamie said with a low voice.

Tanner started to pace. “Is there no other way? I hate to make those people move if they don’t have to.”

Tracy spoke up first. “Captain, all three of us checked the data. We’ve run all sorts of computer simulations and checked all the calculations.” “All right. Let’s contact the Community. We need to act fast if we’re going to save those people.”

The Captain dismissed us and we got to work. It took the rest of the night to get sections of the Kennedy ready to receive the Tempest Community. By morning, we asked the Tempest Elder’s for a meeting with everyone in the Community and the science staff of the Kennedy. Though bewildered, the Elders agreed to a mass meeting. It would be a historic moment.