Giddeon (Silver Strand Series) (25 page)

It was estimated to take the better part of a year for Ray’s craft to reach the neighborhood of the asteroid, and then more months for the Lander to have its speed redirected so that it matched the orbit of the large, space-faring rock.
 
After that was accomplished, it could touch down, softly.
 
Slamming a payload into the asteroid, as the team from
India
planned on initiating at the next launch window (they missed the first window due to technical complications), was a much simpler proposition.

The Russians, to their credit, began, again, with hurried preparations to do the same as
India
.
 
No nuclear warhead was included in their latest plan.

As Ray’s vehicle made its way through the blackness of space, without anyone other than a select few on Earth knowing, his friends… the movers and shakers… quietly began their campaign of installing backup systems at nuclear power-plants around the world.
 

Diesel generators with hardened electronics were put into place, and tanks for the diesel were trucked in and filled.
 
In some cases, bio-fuel producing equipment was donated so that fuel could actually be generated on site.
 
Then, solar powered pumps were often added… as another layer of protection… in order to assure that water would be kept flowing over the rods in the event of a black-out.

In addition, work began on strengthening the power grids, but mainly that was confined to
North America
, at first… and it was a much more involved process.
 
Some of the larger transformers and relays were only made overseas, and there was a backlog for the orders.
 
Giddeon thought it was kind of ridiculous for a nation such as the
United States
to be unable to manufacture such strategic pieces of equipment for itself, but, hey… we’re pretty darned good at producing cell phone apps and computer games.

*****

Do you know, that for the most part,
America
can no longer even produce medical vaccines?
 
Almost every pharmaceutical manufacturer with such capabilities has their facilities located far from our shores.
 
There are a number of reasons for this reality… cost per unit dose, tax policies, efficiency and liability to name a few… but, whatever the reason or reasons, it doesn’t seem like an ideal situation.
 
Especially with the possibility of pandemics always on the horizon.
 
Bioterrorism was also on
Giddeon’s
list, by the way.
 

But,
Rome
wasn’t built in 24 hours… first things first, I supposed.
 
I know that that city wasn’t built in a day.
 
I just worried that it could be destroyed in one.

*****

Anyway, strengthening the grid and supplying fuel to power plant sites was expensive, but not nearly as expensive as what would happen in a breakdown of the power grid.
 
Dozens of plants spewing radioactive elements over cities and farmlands across the world.
 
Death and sickness on a massive scale.

How did Ray get so many people on board for such projects, and circumvent the regular channels full of molasses that initiating such changes normally flows within?
 

I think maybe some of
Giddeon’s
secret information may have been instrumental at times, but, mostly, I believe it was Raymond’s ability to win friends and influence people.
 
Maybe he should write a sequel to Dale Carnegie’s ‘How
To Win Friends And Influence People’
.
 

It could be called… ‘
How To Get People To Help Do Things That Should Have Been Done From Day One In Order To Keep Civilization From Collapsing’
.

Probably something like that should be required reading in our secondary school systems.
 

Another factor in the convincing… I believe the ultra-rich that were in Ray’s circle of influence had been oblivious to how fragile of a base their privileged lives were resting upon.
 

I think Ray helped them realize that the fruits of their labor were all stored upon a trap door of reality that could drop out from under them at any given moment… and, that shoring up and bracing that trap door against such a future unlatching would be a wise expenditure of their time and money.

*****

Sometimes, I suppose if you want something important done, you may have to do it yourself… and somehow legally circumvent governments and regulations.
 
That’s what Raymond Bradford understood.
 
After all, who is regulating the regulators?
 
When the complexity of rules and regulations actually becomes a danger to the people, then the people may have to take an active part in solving the problems at hand… and Ray and Melody took such a part.
 

They raised public awareness and money in order to fund actions that would circumvent the public sector.

*****

I believe that crowd-funding sites, which were originally designed to promote artistic projects, will morph into instruments through which political actions will be initiated and financed in the future.
 
I can see a coming clash between brick and mortar governments and virtual democracies; it will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

We saw the beginnings of that clash in
West Texas
.

*****

Anyway, as far as politics goes, I don’t know the answer to the question: ‘What is the perfect balance of power between people and governments?’
 
The balance that provides just the right amount of regulation?
 
I suppose it’s a difficult point to fulcrum.
 
Somewhere, between anarchy and dictatorship lays the sweet spot… but, nobody has tasted it, yet.
 

It’s very elusive, to say the least.
 
Maybe that’s why so many philosophers, lawyers and officials have spent so many hours, words and votes upon the subject.
 
However, the jumble of laws and ordinances that results from our efforts at equilibrium puts us at risk and blinds us to threats.
 
Threats that can destroy us all.
 
Threats that can destroy governments, planets and people.

*****

All I really know for sure is that destruction is totally dependent on creation… and that destruction can come in many forms.
 
It can come in the form of people, governments and even asteroids.

Creation, on the other hand, comes from somewhere else, entirely.
 
And, I believe our job in life is to find the source of that drive.
 
Find the source of that drive, protect it, and use it only for the enhancement of humanity.

I know that’s a lofty goal.
 
It’s easier to write about what should be done than actually do what should be done.
 
That’s why I respect Raymond Bradford so much… he puts his money where his mouth is, and labors tirelessly, to boot.

*****

I’ll let Melody work on the science of politics.
 
Like she says, she would rather focus on solutions than problems.
 
Two non-profits have already been founded by her since I came out of the coma… one dedicated to removing plastics from the ocean, and one providing solar cookers and micro loans to third world countries.
 
If anyone can figure out a path to Eden, it will probably be her… at least that’s who I would put my money on.

Melody believes that we, as humans, have an innate need to struggle to create more perfect unions, more perfect relationships and a more perfect future… we just don’t all realize it, yet.
 
Maybe one day we won’t have to struggle so much.
 
Maybe one day we will evolve politically, spiritually and ecologically.
 
At least, that’s what I hope.
 
Then, perhaps, we can concentrate on more important things.

Things like love.

*****

In those days, before Giddeon knew about me, I pretty much stuck to him like glue.
 

Kind of like that country song… ‘You and Me, Baby, We’re Stuck Like Glue’.
 
I sort of like that one, by the way.
 
I never was a country fan, although I know you and even Little Gid love it… but, I have gotten to where I can tolerate some of the newer songs.
 
Have you ever seen Giddy light up when The
Zac
Brown Band or Toby Keith comes on?
 
I swear that child is going to be wearing boots and a cowboy hat as soon as he discovers them… I guess he gets that from his mama.
 
Keep him away from chewing tobacco, though.
 
I don’t want to see any brown spit bubbles : )

Anyway, I was with Big Gid when he went for another visit to the movie theatre of the future.
 
He wasn’t blocked like he said he was, later on… he just thought he was.

You see… at that time, Alternate Dad had finished his book.
 
I knew the ending, and I liked it, very, very much.
 
So, when Giddeon teleported, again, to that room with The Four… that’s what I call them, by the way… I was alarmed that it didn’t coincide with the way things had happened in the novel.
 
It was like… I don’t know… off, somehow.

I had a very strong feeling that I needed to put things right, because the path that Giddeon was taking, and the things that he was learning, didn’t feel meant to be… at least not yet.
 
So, I did what I thought I should do.

I used my magic.

*****

I surrounded him with light, and whispered into his ear… and, lo and behold, he seemed to hear me, once, again.
 

Basically, I hypnotized him.

He’s very prone to suggestion… maybe that’s a function of being mainly subconscious.
 
Even, today, he goes under with the slightest direction from me... like one of those sharks when you stroke their nose.
 
I don’t abuse his susceptibility, though.
 
Well, sometimes I make him go to sleep and get some rest when I see he’s getting hyper and manic from his travels and discoveries… but, that’s about it.
 

However, back then, I told him to forget everything he had seen, and that he couldn’t access that future, because it wasn’t meant to be.
 
I told him that he would have a dream that would let him know when he would be able to go there, again.

It worked.

The reality on our side began once again to reflect the plot line of Alternate Dad’s book.
 
I watched it play out in real time, and it was like de je vu every day for those months.
 
I saw Greg barrel through the church doors and interrupt your wedding.
 
I was at the hospital when he came to and spoke with you. When the house was rented, with the help of Jeremy, I hovered next to both of you and the cats.

 
I was at your wedding, two summers, later.

*****

When Giddy was born, I knew it was just a matter of time until I met Giddeon on the golf course.
 
I was so excited when your mother and sister came down for a visit and to help out with the baby.

*****

Then, you and Greg laid down to take a nap, and I could barely contain myself.
 
After a few minutes, I saw you two get up out of your bodies and head for the golf course.
 
You looked back at me and winked… do you remember that?
 
I wanted to throw my arms around you, but I was afraid I would wake you up if I did, so I just made myself invisible and quietly followed, behind.

The feeling I had in my stomach must have been what every girl feels before her first date… more like hummingbirds than butterflies, though.
 
I had tried to make sure I looked as much like the Italian girl as possible, although that wasn’t hard to do since we’re pretty much identical.
 
You know what’s odd?
 
When Giddeon and Greg were back in ancient
Rome
, that first time, I saw her at the market before they did.
 
I thought it was unusual that she and I were so close in appearance, so I went and got inside her body just to sort of try it on.
 
The funny thing is, when I was in there, all of the colors through her eyes got so much more intense.
 
When I looked over at Giddeon he was in full Technicolor… and, it was amazing.
 
I saw them in color, ordinarily… I had learned how to do that… but through her vision the difference was phenomenal.
 
It was like comparing an older television picture to a 3-D high definition one.

He took my breath, away.
 
Even Greg didn’t look half bad (you know I’m just kidding with you, right?).
 
I can’t explain it.
 
I’ve tried looking out through other eyes… people and animals, alike, and nothing ever worked other than cats.
 
Well, a little bit with the dolphins.
 
But, somehow, with her it was different.
 
I don’t know why, but, through her dark orbs, our two boys were as solid as could be.
 
A bit unkempt… I think we should work on that a little more… but, nice and real.
 
I don’t know why it worked, however, I’m not going to question it.
 

Sometimes, things are meant to be.

I just made sure that that day on the golf course that I wore all white, and a matching necklace and bracelet, so he would be taken aback when he saw me for the first time.
 
I also had spent some time applying authentic, ancient make-up to myself... I read up on it by doing extensive internet research.
 
I think I did a pretty good job… don’t you agree?
 

Anyway… I’ve already told you how that day went.

What I didn’t tell you was that Alternate Dad had started another book… a book about an asteroid.

*****