Prophet and the Blood March (Prophet of ConFree) (26 page)

Δ

"It's remarkable how these DX visions work," Doctor Dimension said to Saka. "Absolutely remarkable. And we learn more with every new experience. Your recent trip to Pacifica has given us great new insights into the process." The Doc was so excited he was almost shaking. Most of Delta was in the lounge, following the return of Saka and his command to Quaba from the visit to the asteroid.

"I'm glad you think so, Doc," Saka said glumly from his airchair, toying with his dox cup. Lan Hwa was by his side, monitoring developments.

"Please explain, Doctor," the Prof requested.

"I maintain that your visions are a completely accurate view into one possible future. One likely future. We've seen that the future can change if we become aware of it, and take steps to alter it. You see, it's not like the past. The past has already passed, and cannot be changed. But the future is malleable. It can be molded. It’s open to change.

"Now here's what I believe happened with your DX dream. The first part – you are in the Ruthie, and have a long, very specific conversation with Bird. Right?"

"Yes. And it was exactly the same conversation we had in real life, later. Exactly. I remember thinking that at the time, in the Ruthie. But I had not made any effort to say the same things. It just came out naturally, and I was thinking, damn! This is exactly what I dreamed."

All right. So that part of your DX dream was a confirmed, one hundred percent accurate prediction, right?"

"Exactly!"

"And then you examined the reality of the asteroid, and the structures you had seen in your DX dream were not there at all. Right?"

"Right."

"That doesn't mean they are not going to be there. The DX showed you approaching the Pacifica, and then showed you the structures that the Brights are to build there – in the future. It is likely one hundred percent accurate as well."

"But when we actually approach the asteroid again when it has the structures on it – assuming we do – my conversation with Bird will not be the same."

"No, it won't. But that's not important. It's the vision that is important. In her DX dream Ice was running in the streets of Valhalla, under attack by the D's. But she never really ran through those streets. Prophet was floating over Ultima Spring when the asteroid hit the Pacific Ocean – but he never
really
was floating there, and never will be. Your DX brain is showing you the future.
How
it shows you is not so important.
What
it shows you is important. Let's not quibble about how it does it. The Demon attack was real, the asteroid attack may turn out to be real. But you can guaran–damn–tee that your DX visions are showing you a very hot slice of the future, and if you don't like what you see you'd better get to work to change it. Because the future is subject to change. But only if you're aware of what's coming at you. Perhaps the B's will never build the structures you saw. But if they don't, it will likely be because we took the proper, effective steps to change the future. That’s what this whole exercise is about, right, Prof? Changing the future."

"You are absolutely correct, Doctor. Delta Research is in the business of not only predicting the future, but, more important, changing it. Changing the future – that should be our motto. Unfortunately we can't use it on our logo because it is too highly classified. But keep that in mind, folks. That's what we do."

Bees was walking in a dream. She knew it was a dream, but had no intention of leaving it. She was strolling through a cool mist. It was bright – a sparkling phosphorescent dew, swirling gently around her. Above, a glowing sheet of white clouds. She was in a soft, clinging dark uniform – on her left chest the Bright White Hand and the Delta Research seal were both emblazoned. Yes, that's me, she thought. They both give me life.

A figure appeared out of the mist. It was a Bright, in full armor, radiating light like a star. He had a Battlestorm lightning rod slung over his shoulder, and the White Hand on his armor. His helmet was clipped to his waist. He was young but old. He had silver hair and silver eyes. He appeared very serious. Bees stopped before him.

What do you seek?
he thought.

I seek the truth,
Bees responded.

So do we all
, the Bright replied.
And what will you do with the truth, should you find it?

I will use it to help my people.

Or to help yourself?

No. I am nothing. I am an instrument. I seek the truth. I seek God.

Do not seek God. If you are worthy, God will seek you.

Bees was paralyzed with emotion. Her eyes were swimming with unshed tears. The Bright approached her. He cupped her head with his hands, without touching her. A peaceful, warm wave swept through her mind and body. Peace and love, she thought.

You are a knight,
the Bright telepathed.

I am just a soldier,
Bees thought.
Not a knight.

You are a knight. I see it. You are a warrior. Knights make themselves. Then they are recognized by God. You are a knight, in God's army. No one can stand before you. You shall lead your people to victory, over Satan. Kneel before God!

Bees fell to her knees before the Bright. His battle rifle transformed itself into a long, glittering silver sword. He touched her with the blade – tapping her on the right shoulder, left shoulder, head.

Be thou a knight,
the Bright telepathed,
in the name of God, of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. You cry. Tears of joy, for God. Arise, Sir Knight. You have been chosen by God. Your war name is Black Angel. Go forth and defend the faith and protect the innocent and fight the evil.

He slowly faded away as Bees watched in stunned fascination. A second Bright approached her. This was a female, surely an angel, long lovely golden hair, golden eyes, pale alabaster skin, clad in a white robe. She reached out her hands to Bees, cupping her head without touching it. Again, Bees felt a warm wave, the love rushing through her body, through her soul.

You are a healer,
the angel thought.

I am a medic. I heal the wounded.

Take my hands,
the angel thought, holding out her hands. Bees grasped them. It was like an electric shock, coursing, pulsing through her body.

"Oh!" Bees cried out.

Peace, peace,
the angel thought.
Now you are a healer.
She leaned in and kissed Bees gently, right on the lips.
Thanks be to God,
the angel thought. And she too faded away.

Bees continued walking slowly into the mist. Then the mist lifted, and it was night. She looked up and the sky was completely clear, millions of stars blazing brightly. What a stunning sight. The Milky Way – her own glorious galaxy. Swirling in frozen splendor, so magnificent she just stood there staring at the cosmos. This is the face of God, she thought. She tried to spot some familiar constellations, but could not. Not a one. Bees knew the stars. We must be very far away in spacetime, she thought. Look at that. How sublimely lovely. A warm thrill ran over her flesh.

Bees awoke from the dream, her cheeks still wet with tears. She just lay there, too stunned to even wake up Scout. That was a DX dream, she thought. A DX dream! Good Lord, oh Lord, I thank You. I thank You!

Δ

Bees sat facing the Professor, who had come out from behind his desk and showed Bees into an airchair and settled into another one himself, holding printouts of the brainscan. It was mid-afternoon of the following day.

"I feel very uneasy about this dream, Professor," Bees said.

"Oh? Why is that?" The Prof seemed surprised.

"It was so…personal. Yes, it was certainly a DX dream. But thinking about it later, it seemed… well, strange. As if some of my own – well, dreams, wishes, hopes, beliefs – got mixed in there. Somehow."

"You mean, because of the religious aspects?"

"Yes. Yes. It seems so… unlikely."

"How so?"

"I get knighted by a Bright? In the name of God? Isn't that a kind of a wish fulfillment? I mean, I never thought of myself as a knight. But maybe it was something from my subconscious. And the battle rifle turning into a sword? Unlikely, isn't it? And the angel, blessing me as a healer. What was that all about?"

"So you doubt the validity of this DX dream, do you?"

"I worry about it. And what does it tell us? Nothing. Aimless wanderings in my mind. What good does it do us?"

"Don't doubt the power of your own talents, Bees. And this, your first DX dream, is very significant."

"Really?"

"Really. As a matter of fact, it may be one of the most valuable DX dreams we have ever recorded. I believe in every single detail of this prophecy. Ambassador Wester has already sent a flash critic message to the Director General of ConFree concerning this particular chronview prophesy."

"Oh my God, you can't be serious! It doesn't tell us a thing! Just my own stupid mental meanderings."

"Wrong, Bees, wrong. It tells us exactly what we have been desperately seeking. Exactly."

"What? In God's name, what?"

"You have identified the exact location of the Bright base in our universe."

Bees just stared at him, her mouth open.

"The stars," he said. "You looked up at the stars. The neural image was exceptionally clear. All those unfamiliar stars, spread across the universe. We ran them through our galactic astrocharts. The view you had was from an unidentified planet circling an unidentified star in an obscure nebula located fifteen thousand, four hundred light years from the Crista Cluster. That's where you were when those events unfolded. And what else could that be except the Bright base? Because that's precisely where Delta Research is going, as soon as we can lift off. Now that we know where it is. Congratulations, Bees. I'm looking forward to your knighting."

Δ

It was a long trip, into the hole. Time for reflection, as the CS
Vampire
cruised through vac run red, slicing an impossible hole into the cosmos, encased in sudden death. We were used to it. We loved the
Vampire.

"What’s wrong, Bees? Out with it," I demanded. I knew she had shared it with Scout, whatever it was. He wouldn't be telling. I was getting tired of her morose, silent, gloomy attitude. It was almost like the old days in Providence when she and Ice had stalked around together, glaring at everyone and daring them to say a word. I figured I knew her well enough now to deserve an answer.

"I'm sorry, Prophet," she said. "I'm really scared." We were alone, just the two of us, in the snack bar, sitting across from each other at a little table.

"Scared? I don't believe that, Bees. I've never seen you scared."

"Well, I'm scared now. It's the mission, Prophet. It's that damned DX dream. This is just crazy. I tried to tell the Prof that, but he won’t listen. Yes, I'm scared. This whole mission flows from my dream. Mine! I'm responsible, for whatever happens. And if we find nothing, I'm responsible for that, too. That's scary."

"Come on, Bees. Before, you were complaining about not having any DX dreams. And now you've got a doozy, and you're still whining. If the Prof thinks your dream is good, it's probably good."

"What if we arrive there, and there's nothing there?"

"The base is going to be there."

"You don't know that. What if it's not there? We launch a major expedition because I have a dream and they run those fuzzy stars through the computers and come up with a location? What happened with Saka's big vision? There was nothing there!"

"The Prof believes there will be something there, in the future."

"How do we know that? Because Saka dreamt it? Maybe it's just the wrong place, and there never will be anything there. And what will they say if we show up at this Bright base and there's nothing there? Will they say, well, they haven't arrived there yet? Or will they say Bees is hallucinating."

"Stop it, Bees, please. Nobody will ever say that about you."

"Or will they say, this Delta Research thing is just wasting a lot of taxpayer money."

"Bees, the Bright base is going to be there. Wait and see. And cheer up!"

But she didn't cheer up. She spent a lot of time praying.

Δ

We gathered in the briefing room before the Professor like acolytes of a strange new religion before their priest. We had ultimate faith in him. He stood before a blank wallscreen as we pondered our future in rows of comfy airchairs, gazing at him as if hypnotized.

"Good morning," he said with a smile. "This blank screen represents what we know so far about our destination. We'll be filling it in as soon as we arrive in the vicinity. Sorry I haven’t had time to do this briefing until now. But I'd like to ensure we are all on the same page. Our mission is to establish an ongoing diplomatic relationship with the Brights so that we will have continuing communications with them. The objective is to have a channel to help them understand that we are friendlies, and that humanity is not their enemy, and to allow us to deal effectively with problem areas that may arise – like human pirates raping their women, or asteroids being used as weapons. We hope to establish an Embassy wherever their base is, and invite them to establish an Embassy in Quaba City. These are the same objectives we had last time we contacted the Brights, but events at that time did not permit us to seal the deal, so to speak. This time we are in a much better position to do so. We have a strong team of DX telepaths – four of you, all fully certified. And you all know our objectives. And we're going right to their base, so they can't break contact and fly away.

"I am in command of this mission," Prof said. "Captain Nan Man will be the official UMC observer but will not be in the chain of command. I will certainly be taking his comments very seriously." The Nan smiled and gave us a cheery wave from his chair. We all knew him and liked him. "Our core team of telepaths will consist of Bees, Ice, Saka and Prophet, and they will report directly to me," Prof continued. "We do not expect any combat for this mission and our security team – Doggie, Scout, Smiley and Nitro – will function more as a support mechanism, assuming we are to be dealing with Brights and nobody else. I do not expect to need a medic downside and so I have not assigned one. The Vampire has a fully stocked and manned emergency clinic that will be available to us at all times. Our faithful driver Bird will be at our service in the Mary."