Beyond Armageddon V: Fusion (59 page)

“We are not just like you,” the Hivvan corrected. “Do not be deceived by our physical bodies.”

“Yes, yes,” Trevor waved a hand dismissing their pompous attitude. “You not only seeded the races on Earth, you seeded yourselves inside those races. You say you evolved beyond the physical? Well then, what—you split yourselves in two? You scrambled your physical beings—your genes—into the gene pool. And you waited. You waited for the combination to be put together again. That was the chain I was on, wasn’t it?”

Unlike the others, Alenna did not appear offended at Trevor’s rant. The faintest hint of a smile flickered on her Chaktaw lips as she nodded and answered, “Yes, Trevor Stone, we waited—and watched. And prepared.”

He glanced around at each of the young-looking ones and made eye contact as he continued, “You prepared. Because everything had to be equal. You recorded a collection of genetic memories so that a leader could fight on behalf of his entire people. You influenced everything so that when the war came each race would have the same starting point. A level playing field.”

The Witiko insisted, “It is the perfect design to test the worthiness of each race. To see which life pattern is strongest.”

“Is that what you tell yourself? Is it? Yes, of course,” Trevor lectured. “You are all so very evolved. You call it a challenge or a test. To you it is an experiment. A
controlled
experiment. Why don’t you call it what it is? Death. Misery. War. Destruction. You have no right to do this.”

The Centurian said, “On behalf of our races and in the interest of reaching our full potential, some sacrifices must be made for the greater good.”

The Hivvan added, “Unfortunate in many ways, yes, but necessary for the benefit of all.”

The Witiko said, “It is the obligation of those with the power and intelligence to—”

“To make decisions for the rest?” Trevor interrupted. “To force your will upon others? You are playing god.”

The Duass quickly pointed out, “From your limited perspective, we
are
gods.”

Trevor erupted, “You are no such thing! Don’t fool yourself. You did not create life. You copied it and placed it on this empty world not because you should, but because you
could.
This isn’t just about fighting, it’s about showing off. Which of you first breached the dimensional barriers? Which of you re-created each race’s environment and genetic codes in the primordial soup of one Earth after another? Which of you hit upon the idea of separating apart your physical body and slipping it into this re-creation of evolution? If you wanted a war, then you should have fought it among yourself instead of dragging billions more into your game.”

“Distasteful.”

“Devastating.”

“A war between our evolved selves could have torn the fabric of existence to pieces.”

Trevor snapped, “And it’s so much more fun to watch the barbarians fight it out. Tell me, do you place side wagers? Have you bet on the outcome?”

The Geryon took offense, “Ridiculous! This is no sport but a challenge of evolution.”

The Duass said, “Even the universes are of finite existence, they will eventually collapse, leaving nothing but the void. The void is eternal. Through this challenge of evolution we will determine which race is worthy to exist there.”

Trevor said, “The void is where Voggoth comes from.”

The Hivvan agreed, “Our life patterns are all different. It is critical that we understand which is superior. For this answer, we chose to look at our roots. What we once were.”

Trevor shut his eyes and shook his head.

“You’re just children, after all. Just children with questions about who you are, and why you are. What is your purpose? But you are children with the power to rip apart space and time.”

“Your metaphor is insulting and incorrect,” the Centurian noted. “But, yes, we search for the answers to existence by looking first at ourselves. We agreed that this challenge was the best way to discover which life pattern is superior. In doing so, we will be a step closer to achieving immortality.”

That caught Trevor’s attention. His eyes snapped open again. He glanced about the ring of children as if searching but not finding what he sought. His mouth hovered open for a moment as he tried to form the words to express his thoughts.

“Imm—immortality. You are all mortal…”

Alenna said as Trevor’s words faltered, “Each of our races exist less as what you would call individuals and more as collectives, a merging of our technology and our physical form to the point that our life span stretches for eons, but in the end we are still mortal. Like the universes themselves, one day we will end. There is only one who has broken free of such constraints and evolved to the point of immortality.”

The Duass spoke, “Only one not confined to the physical realm. One that has achieved evolution beyond the need for any physical presence.”

Trevor found the answer, “Voggoth.”

“He lives in the void between the universes. He is older than all of our races by a measure of time beyond even our ability to track,” Alenna explained.

“A superior form of existence.”

“A type of intelligent energy. An intellect surpassing any of ours.”

“Perfection.”

Trevor’s eyes narrowed. He felt the skin on the back his neck tingle as a shiver coursed through his spine.

“Yes. I see it now,” he whispered. “It’s all so very clear.”

The children eyed him suspiciously.

Trevor strolled slowly around the Hivvan and Duass representatives and walked outside of the ring, stooping to whisper in each child’s ear as he spoke.

“Voggoth—so completely different from you—so much older. So much—so much wiser. He has what you covet, doesn’t he? Immortality. You see that as superior, don’t you?”

“It is superior,” the Geryon insisted.

The Witiko clarified, “Even we succumb to death. Both our physical and mental selves have a finite existence, although we have come to view time much different than your limited perspective allows.”

Trevor snarled, “My limited perspective sees things clearer than you do.”

“Foolishness!”

“I don’t’ think so,” he circled. They listened.

Trevor stooped to the Duass’ ear.

“I can share the secrets if you are worthy. We must find who is superior.”

He strolled another step to Alenna.

“Is it you? Is your way correct?”

He stood, walked another pace, then stooped behind the Hivvan.

“You are such a marvelous race—not like the others—I think
you
are superior.”

The Hivvan snarled, “You mock us.”

“No,” Trevor corrected as he circled behind the Centurian. “I mock your foolishness. I can hear the whispers in your ear. Tell me, Hivvan, did Voggoth take you aside and tell you how different you are from the rest?”

The Hivvan shifted uneasily but did not answer.

“What about you, Witiko? Did Voggoth come to you one day and tell you how he admires your race, how you are far superior. Did he tell you how the other races are holding you back? Did he promise to share all the secrets if only you would cast aside the others?”

The Geryon insisted, “You have no frame of reference. You have never encountered beings as evolved as us.”

Trevor sneered, “You are not as evolved as you think. There is nothing standing here that I have not seen before. I’ve seen arrogance and pride. I’ve seen those who do because they can and not because they should. I’ve seen architects of destruction move people about as pawns. I’ve seen the so-called greater good be the good for a few. I’ve seen cold, calculating ‘logic’ translate into misery. I’ve seen it all before because while I may not know much about time, I know history. And I’m seeing it all over again.”

“Insolence.”

“A lack of perspective.”

“How dare you speak to us this way.”

“This is a far too complicated matter for your limited intellect.”

Trevor continued, “It is not complicated at all. You wish it to be so, so that you could hide behind the idea of gray areas and different perspectives and oh, the complexity of it all! But it is simple. It is war. It is war for pride’s sake. It is a war waged because of whispers in ears, because of promises of greatness, because you have come to know that despite how great you are, you are humbled in the face of the forces of nature, of the universe.”

Alenna peered at Trevor as if searching for clues on his face and said, “You speak in riddles. How are we—the greatest of all living things—humbled?”

“Because you don’t know all the answers. You have kidded yourself into thinking you created all the pieces for your little game, but you haven’t, have you?”

“Nonsense!” spat the Hivvan

“Really? Tell me why I command armies of canines?”

All of the children appeared ready to answer, but stopped. Their collective mouths shut.

“Yes, that’s what I thought. You don’t know, do you? Something in my genes. Something put there; another gift added into the chain you manipulated. Someone spiked your little concoction, didn’t they?”

“A part of evolution, nothing more,” the Witiko tried to sound sure but did not.

Trevor told them, “You put life on trial—nature—and that nature, that power of life defends itself through me. That is why on each Earth a helper species evolved. A defense mechanism, rooted in the truth that all of life sprouted from one organism.”

The Duass spat, “Nonsense.”

“Really? Tell me, on your home worlds in the original universe, did your people develop such an ability? I know Alenna’s father commands the Behemoths on the Chaktaw’s version of Earth. What is it the Witiko have on their side on their Earth? Or the Hivvans? But in your original universe—
nothing.
”

Trevor thought of Nina and Armand and added, “Why is it that among my people there are those who have been waiting for this fight? Why are some destined to be champions?”

Alenna cocked her head as if trying to hear a distant, faint thought. “Are you suggesting that Voggoth did this?”

“The Chaktaw should refrain from feeding these fantasies!” came a shout from the young Witiko.

Trevor shook his head. “No. Not Voggoth. Something else. Something greater. The power of life itself. What some might call nature, others might think of as God, or the greater plan of the Universe. Forces beyond
your
comprehension. Beyond your control.”

“Speculation!”

“Ridiculous!”

“Foolishness!”

Trevor circled the ring of children again. They followed with their eyes.

“I don’t know the answers. I am content not to ask for all the answers. I was content to live my life. You took that from me. From all my people. You took it because you have been manipulated, used.”

“That is not true,” the Duass child said. “This undertaking is the result of our different races reaching the conclusion that evolution would be best served by determining which way of life is the strongest and that only the strongest would be worthy of Voggoth’s favor.”

The Geryon agreed, “Each of our races is different. Our environments vary greatly. Each, however, evolved into a higher life form. Through this conflict, the differences between our races will become clear and the strongest will survive.”

Stone concluded, “I’ve read about it time and again in the history books of my people. You are no different from my world’s Hitler or Genghis Khan, or Napoleon. You think you are superior; you think that if your race wins this challenge then you will impose your will on the others.”

The Centurian echoed, “That is the way of things. The strong survive.”

Trevor pleaded again, “No! You are doing this because you have been used! You look to Voggoth and somehow, for some reason, you see something that you think is better than what you are. And so he has used that against you. He has convinced you to fight one another with the victor promised the chance to learn what oh-so-mighty Voggoth knows of the universe. ”

“Voggoth is perfect! He is immortal. He is not confined to the physical universe!”

Trevor countered the Centurian’s claim in a shout, “He is not
allowed
in the physical universe! Look what happened when a child of life touched it! It was banished from this place in an instant! It has no real power, only the power you give to it!”

The children shook their heads, some violently.

“Listen to me! See! For the sake of life—see!”

Alenna threw her eyes to Trevor and asked, “What do you mean, for the sake of life?”

Trevor’s anger morphed into anguish. Sadness. Pity.

He strode slowly to Alenna, knelt, and touched a hand to her cheek.

“We—you—and I—all of us—we are the living. We are life. Voggoth is—Voggoth is death. He was never like us. He did not evolve into an immortal entity, he has always been that way. It’s his prison! He is the same now as he was at his creation. Static and dead. No evolution. No reproduction. No purpose. No challenge.”

The Duass meekly answered, “He is immortal. We can—we can become immortal, too.”