The Traveler's Return Read online

  Brent shifted in his chair and whispered in William’s ear, “That seems odd.” William squinted his eyes and nodded slowly.

  Narrows continued, “We have entertained many scenarios, and looking at the big picture, we feel our plans have the best chance of success with the least cost and least danger to the team of scientists.” He swallowed a gulp of water. “Besides, there will be all kind of support to the chosen four. There are already multiple military and scientific resources stationed around the galaxy to offer any assistance that may be needed as we go.” Narrows stood still looking out at his audience for a long moment. “I will now step aside, as Major Tammy Cardinal will fill you in on the En Route Stasis Training Program, Major.” Narrows moved back a few feet and nodded at a woman dressed in a military uniform. She stood up and approached the podium.

  “Hey!” Brent thought he heard faintly, a man’s voice he didn’t recognize. The sound was muffled and strange. He couldn’t place it. “Hey!” Brent looked around and noticed William, to his right, and Ellie, to his left, who were both likewise eyeballing around the room, no doubt wondering where this whisper in their ears was originating. In fact, all the computer-generated images of the participants sitting in the audience, those Brent could see, were scanning around the virtual room, seeming unsettled. The speaker continued on, appearing unaffected by the strange whispers. And then the smudged 3-D virtual image came into focus right in front of Brent. It was a blurred cartoon showing a zoomed view of two eyes, a nose, and lips that moved synchronously with the man’s whispers. “Hey!” the muffled voice continued. “Pretend you’re listening to the major on the podium, but you’ll want to pay attention to what I need to tell you.” Brent looked at Ellie. She too was fixated on the computer-generated vMail image right in front of her, as were William and Valerie. The same for all in the auditorium, save for the soldiers. “Look straight on as if you can’t see or hear me,” the image instructed. “I don’t want the military to know I’m communicating with all of you.”

  Brent sat back and pretended to be paying attention to the happenings at the small stage where Major Cardinal was speaking, at the podium next to General Narrows, both obviously unaware of the ongoing stealthy communication.

  “My name is Gianluigi Buffoni,” continued the live vMail, the words containing a slight foreign accent. “I’m one of the chosen forty, a communications specialist. The scientists in my group and I think there’s something very wrong with this mission. I propose a vMeeting at eight this evening. I will reestablish communication via vMail at that time. Don’t mention this to anyone. Our lives may be at stake!”

  And just like that, the virtual blurred icon was gone.

  Chapter Six

  Zack opened his eyes. Koo eeky…koo eeky. He wasn’t sure if he was awake or dreaming. He heard the strange, muffled high-pitch sound again. Koo eeky…koo eeky. It was distant and mystifying. Am I hallucinating?

  He first realized he was no longer in the peaceful room of white. He was cold and achy. The comfy, smooth white linens that had covered him before were gone and he now lay on dirt. Something, or rather someone, was breathing into his mouth. He perceived his lungs passively fill with air and then empty. Next to him knelt a little being. He struggled to remember. Who is this? I have seen it before, but where? When? The chilled dirt of the cave’s floor and the dimness surrounding him were distressing as he struggled to recall how he had gotten to be where he was now.

  Wordlessly, the thing got on its feet and walked slowly into the darkness of the cavern. It had long straight white hair, and its skin was pale. He tried to get up but felt profoundly drained. He remained sprawled out on the cold earthy ground, staring at the cave’s dimly lit roof.

  Was he called Zack once? The name sounded natural and right, but he had no recollection as to why it should. His being was overcome by profound exhaustion. He closed his eyes and returned to the nothingness of slumber.

  She lay quietly, stretched out on the most comfortable bed imaginable. Her eyes roamed around the room of white and peace. Though she was at the edge of awareness, her body was mostly constrained, unable to move by some force. Perhaps it was the white sheet wrapping her body. Its material was smooth and pleasant to touch. Despite the restraint, she felt happy and fulfilled. She was in complete harmony. She desired nothing. She had everything.

  Was she called Mackenzie once? It didn’t matter now. She nebulously remembered a loving family, supportive parents, and caring friends. Thoughts of that previous subsistence were fading fast; these vague memories overwhelmed by the present bliss. Nothing else mattered now. She imagined the warmth of a mother’s womb but recognized even that couldn’t be as satisfying or fulfilling as this place.

  She had vaguely recalled the sensation of the bullet striking her forehead and the warm sensation that had come with the penetration of her skull. No pain, really. If there had been any agony, she had completely forgotten it. She had barely remembered the fleeting anguish of knowing, really grasping, that the breath she had just taken would be her last. She had relived the feeling of her body collapsing limp to the floor and perceiving the heat of the speeding bullet as it escaped through the back of her head. But these memories had faded very quickly, wiped clean by a sensation of total contentment. Nirvana.

  She vaguely recalled her previous existence in a world of pain and agony.

  In the distance, she barely appreciated soft, high-pitch screeches, which she didn’t comprehend. Koo eeky…koo eeky. No matter what the sound was, it would not threaten her. Koo eeky…koo eeky. It could not hurt her. And she plunged back into deep, contented slumber.

  Chapter Seven

  Ellie, Brent, Valerie, and William walked toward a peaceful garden adjacent to the cabin. They made sure that no one was following them. It was dark out; the closest lights mounted on the tall posts in the parking lot beyond the lodge. The sky was inundated with thick ominous clouds, which blocked illumination from the sliver of a moon. The garden itself was a special place to visit. The four had walked through it earlier in the day, taking the time to admire its beauty, aromas, and serenity. “A great place to meditate,” Ellie had said. But now, their stopover was clandestine and mysterious.

  “What did the guy in the vMail mean?” asked William. “There’s something wrong with this mission? Whatever could he mean?”

  “Who knows,” said Valerie. “We’ll find out in about twenty minutes. Is there a place to sit?”

  Brent, who led the pack down the walking path, looked at his eLocator. “Up here, fifty-eight more yards. Earlier when we were here, I found a summerhouse with benches. It’s plenty secluded and away from the cabin.”

  The four continued to march wordlessly. Around their path, there were flowers of all colors, bushes, and trees. The soft wind carried many extravagant and soothing odors, a contrast to the turmoil inside each of them. The serenity of their stroll was suddenly interrupted by a beep.

  “It’s a general vMail message,” said William.

  “It’s not quite time yet,” said Ellie.

  The four stopped, their gaze ahead on to the darkened garden, anticipating the vMail communication.

  “Hello campers,” said the partially hidden face of a man, a virtual display on a screen that wasn’t there. This consisted of a close-up of two deep-brown eyes over a set of thin red lips, identical to what they had seen during the first communiqué. “Sorry, I’m linking a little bit ahead of time. I think the military is on to me, and they suspect I’m trying to contact all of you.”

  “What’s this all about?” asked a woman’s voice. “This is Dr. Allyson Richards. Dr. Buffoni, I’ve discovered you’ve had mental issues and have been hospitalized with schizophrenia. Is what you’re trying to tell—”

  “Ah, my mental issues,” interrupted the man’s voice, his speech pressured. “But I assure you my concerns are not mental or crazy. I think the military has ulterior motives for this mission.” His words became increasingly distressed and edgy. “I mean, m
y partner, Dr. Ulysses Michelson, he’s an astrophysicist. He does not believe that Terrae Virentia will implode and…” The partially concealed face on the screen became wild eyed and more anxiety ridden. “The military is sending us to Triloptia for something else. I don’t know what yet. But—”

  “Calm down, Dr. Buffoni,” said another man’s voice. “This is Dr. Albert Sleight. I’ve done a virtual scan. Your cerebral dopamine levels are increasing very rapidly. I’m worried you are decompensating rapidly. You’ll need to get medical attention right away.”

  “No, don’t call the military,” said Buffoni. “They’ll put me away again. They just need a small excuse to get me committed. Please, don’t tell the general.”

  “Dr. Buffoni,” said a woman. “I’ve called emergency medical services in your area, and they’ll be there to help you soon.”

  Ellie looked at the others, their expressions perplexed.

  “Is this guy for real?” mouthed William.

  Brent shrugged and mouthed back, “I don’t know.”

  Within seconds, it was apparent that people had arrived at Dr. Buffoni’s location, and soothing voices were approaching him from different directions.

  “Don’t go on this mission,” Buffoni yelled out. “You’ll be sorry if you do. Don’t believe a word they tell you. It’s all lies. It’s not—” And just like that, the vMail went dead.

  The four stood there wordless, unsure of what had just transpired.

  Finally, William spoke. “Is anybody still out there?”

  “Yes, Dr. Brian Voges here,” said a man’s voice. A large round face with a perpetual smile appeared on the virtual screen. “I’m here with my group. We’re stationed in the training center in Cincinnati, Ohio.”

  “We’re here,” said a woman. Her face was thin, and she had deep-blue eyes. “Dr. Cindy Nixon. Training center in Madrid, Spain.”

  “I’m here,” said another voice, her facial features those of an athletic woman, with light-blue eyes. “Dr. Beth Puntney. The four of us are stationed in Mount Feathertop, Australia.”

  “Dr. Heath Hayes,” someone else said; his voice deep and face tired. “We’re in Lugu Lake, China.”

  Other voices chimed in.

  “There are eight groups of four,” said Valerie. “With us makes nine. I’m Dr. Valerie Rovine. The four of us are in Denali, Alaska.”

  “Where’s the rest of Buffoni’s group?” asked Puntney.

  Several seconds of wordless anticipation ensued. This silence was broken by Hayes. “They’re not online with us.”

  “What do you all make of this communiqué?” asked Voges.

  “Dr. Allyson Richards here. I’m a neuropsychobiologist. A colleague told me all about Buffoni. He’s a brilliant communication scientist but quite disturbed. My friend treated him for severe psychopathology that has been resistant to all therapy. I don’t think we can believe a word he said. He appeared delusional.”

  “Even crazy people sometimes are right, though,” said Brent. “How do we know he’s not on to something?”

  “I don’t know if we can know,” said Hayes.

  “Does anybody else here think something’s up?” asked William.

  “Well, maybe,” said Ellie. “But what?”

  “The best we can do is stay alert,” said Puntney.

  “I agree,” said Valerie. “I think we should continue with our mission but remain vigilant.”

  “Agreed,” someone else said.

  “Agree,” yet another voice said.

  Chapter Eight

  The next morning, while having their breakfasts, the chosen scientist eGathered once more at the Virtual Conference Center. Major Tammy Cardinal took the podium and addressed the audience. “Welcome to our first day of training. Each of the groups of four has been housed in a part of the planet that is most suitable to the phase of training they are undergoing. Every few days, everybody will switch locations. Eventually all groups will have visited each of the locations and received preliminary training in all aspects of the mission. You will have different phases of preparation, and after three months, we’ll be choosing the five groups who will travel to the Triloptia Star System.”

  “Major,” a woman’s voice, someone in the audience somewhere on the globe. On the screen, her picture showed her to be a fit woman with blond hair and light-green eyes, a face they recognized from the previous evening’s exchange.

  The major looked straight ahead to consult her virtual screen showing the demographics of those in the audience. “Commander Beth Puntney. What is your question?”

  “There were ten groups before,” said Puntney. “Why are there only nine now?”

  “I’ll address that, Major,” said General Narrows, coming onto the illuminated small stage. Cardinal smiled at him and retreated a few steps.

  “One of the groups decided to forfeit their position,” said Narrows. “One of the members had a nervous breakdown. The other three in the group opted to withdraw from consideration for the mission. Major Cardinal.” Narrows smiled at Cardinal, who stepped back up front stage.

  “For the next three months, we’ll teach you and test you in your laboratory skills. We’ll give you unknown problems to see how you handle working unusual situations. During this mission, you’ll have a lot of this sort of analysis to do.” She looked around the virtual audience. “The actual navigation of the Traveler Spaceship, the planetary-vehicular module, and the space station we’ll teach your brain during the seventy-plus-year trip while you’re in stasis.”

  For the next three months, the groups of four scientists learned and demonstrated their prowess in working the endless possibilities of unknown situations, each more intriguing and mysterious. All along, their teachers took notes on their progress and created computer-driven statistical data in order to evaluate the likelihood that each of the groups would carry out the mission successfully. The training was intense, leaving little time to think about or do anything else. As such, no further interaction between the groups of scientists occurred for a long time.

  Months went by as the training necessary to accomplish the mission to Terrae Virentia progressed. Finally, the training sessions were over, and the time to begin the expedition was soon arriving.

  The thirty-six scientist astronauts were once again gathered at the main headquarters. In groups of four, they ambled into the anteroom adjacent to the main auditorium. Charming violin music filled the background ambience.

  Self-initiated introductions were made, all wearing ear-to-ear smiles.

  Dr. Cindy Nixon was the first to introduce the topic they all were wondering about. “Well, I hope my group is the one chosen for the mission.”

  “I’m sure your group is well trained and all,” said Dr. Allyson Richards, “but the four of us are perfect for the task.” She winked.

  “I feel certain all the groups are well trained and up for the job,” said Dr. Brian Voges, “but we need to work together, regardless of who is the actual chosen team.”

  “I agree,” said Valerie.

  “I heard there was one more step to the training process,” said Dr. Beth Puntney. “Does anyone know anything—”

  It was then the large doors leading into the auditorium opened automatically, and a welcoming computerized voice made the announcement. “Ladies and gentlemen, please have a seat in the auditorium and make yourselves comfortable.” The background violin music recommenced. The group of scientists continued with small talk and soon all were settled in their seats.

  General Brandon Narrows made his entrance and took the podium in the front.

  “Welcome, all!” he began. “I’m happy to report that all the groups passed the required steps with flying colors.” He smiled and looked all around the audience. “All of you are great candidates for the mission.” He began walking slowly as he continued. “There is one more step. This phase will provide us with the final ranking, whereupon we will decide which groups will leave our planet en route to Terrae Virentia.”
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  “I thought we were all done with training,” said Dr. Archana Raji.

  “You are,” said Narrows. “The next step is to train you to work the incarnation vehicle.” He smiled. “Over the next week, we will be introducing each of you to the avatar that will allow you to visit Terrae Virentia.” He pointed his index finger in the air and gave a mental command. A picture appeared on a virtual screen behind him. “This is Alexandra.”

  “It’s so ugly it’s cute,” said Allyson. “So squashy and wimpy.”

  Narrows gave a small chuckle. “Believe it or not, Alexandra is a beautiful female child. Pretty harmless and innocent looking to the Terrae Virentians, which is why we designed her like this.”

  “The skin tone seems off,” said Brian.

  “We tried everything to mimic their natural skin tone,” said Narrows. “The best we could do was what you see here. She is lighter than most on Terrae Virentia, but they call this albinism. A few of them are born with little or no skin pigmentation and look like this. We’re hoping her being an albino will bring forth extra empathy.”

  “How will we use her on the planet?” asked Ellie.

  “Alexandra will allow the essence of one of you to enter her and give her life,” said Narrows. “We’ll show you over the next few days everything you need to know about that process.”

  Brent swallowed hard and whispered to Ellie sitting next to him, “Dump our essence into an avatar? Doesn’t sound so safe. What if it doesn’t work?”

  “Oh, don’t be such a baby,” said Ellie with a smirk. “You’ll get your essence back. Besides, if not, I can keep you as Alexandra. You know, as a pet.”

  Chapter Nine

  That his name had previously been Zack was totally foreign to him now. He was alone and the mere concept of a name seemed far-off and irrelevant. He was awakened when he heard the faint, strange noise coming from outside the cave. Koo eeky…koo eeky. It was the reverberation from afar that had awakened him earlier. He stood up and brushed the sleep off his face. His beard had grown substantially. The sunlight snaked in through the cave’s entrance. Cautiously, he stepped outside. He looked up and squinted, his vision blinded by the bright skylight. He vaguely remembered ambulating on two feet but found that his progress was faster and more natural if he walked on all fours. Standing on his two feet seemed more defying and took a lot more of his energy. His arms and legs were strangely hairier than he’d ever remembered them being, but thoughts of his past were nebulous. Uncertain. Rather, it felt like he had no past at all. It felt like his existence began now.