15: Azaroth, the Collective scientist was suddenly struck with a horrifying thought. He went to Temeron, the elder and voiced his concern. "Temeron, back on Sypraxia we had our friend, Wondimyn put into suspended animation on board the Riven. Who knows if the electronics of her sleep chamber survived the crash into the lake?"
Zemostra came and put his hand on Azaroth's shoulder. "I designed the suspended animation chamber to withstand almost any calamity. It is right up against the Core Zone, which is the heart of the ship. Remember, the computer is an artificial intelligence. It will use every ounce of energy on board to keep life support going for our dear, sweet friend."
Temeron turned to Azaroth. "We can't keep this from Mina any longer. We must tell her."
Azaroth nodded his head thoughtfully. "I'll send someone to find Damion. He may be able to help rescue Wondimyn. We don't know how much time we have so we must treat this with the utmost of urgency."
Together the three of them went to find Mina. She was in the gift store thumbing through a magazine. Temeron approached her and asked if she would come sit with them in one of the conference rooms. She agreed and they went. Once they were all seated, she looked a bit unnerved. Temeron faced her. "We have something to tell you. It won't be easy for you to hear, but you must know."
Now Mina was much more anxious. She looked at each of the three Collective in turn. "I can't imagine what it is that you might have to say to me, but I get the feeling I won't like it."
Temeron had a look of calm resolve. "We know where your mother is."
Mina looked around as if she had lost something. "Uh, my mother lives in Tucson. Is she in any danger?"
"The people who raised you were not your biological parents."
"Well, yeah, I know. They were my foster parents."
"We know who your real mother is."
Mina became absolutely still. She didn't quite know how to process this information. "Why would you know who my real mother is?"
"She is a dear friend of ours who has lived with us on Sypraxia for all of your life."
Mina had still not moved a single muscle. Her eyes darted to the right. "My mother is an alien?"
"No, your mother is very much human. Would you like to hear her story?"
"Sure. I don't think anything you say at this point would come as a surprise to me."
Zemostra brought Repotox, the story teller, into the conference room. He sat in a chair directly across from Mina. "Your mother is a very special woman. Our name for her is Wondimyn, which means one who spreads love. We Collective have been coming to Earth for millenia. In our many travels, we've tried to keep discovery of our existence from happening.
"One fateful night, we landed in a forest clearing that we thought was devoid of people. We were wrong. There was a young lady there who had been praying. She seemed in no way to be afraid of us. She told us her name was Kaziah Soulever."
Mina interrupted. "So that's my real last name? Soulever? It's beautiful."
Repotox smiled and continued. "We told her where we were from and what we were doing here. We were students of the human race. We wanted to know all about humans. She wanted to know all about us. She promised to tell us everything she knew about humanity if we would take her to our home planet. After much discussion among ourselves, we agreed and she boarded our craft. We brought her to Sypraxia."
Tears came to Mina's eyes. "That is so amazing!"
The story went into more detail. "She taught us about your culture, history and God. When she had told us everything she could about humanity, it was our turn to teach her about the Collective. You see, we don't always communicate orally. When we are together as a lake, we share our thoughts directly from mind to mind. We invited Kaziah to swim in the lake. She waded in and floated on her back. All of our collected thoughts, joys, fears, loves, hopes, sorrows and stories flowed through her spirit like a river.
"As the weeks passed, it was discovered that she had somehow become impregnated by her swim in our lake. It was the most wonderful thing that had ever happened to us. She would give birth to offspring that were part human and part Collective. About nine months later, you were born."
"You mean. You're saying. You mean I'm half Collective?" Mina looked stunned.
"That is why you have the green aura of the Collective. As you know, the Nocent have a red aura. You are the only one of your kind in existence. That is why you are a sensor. It is also why Rend wanted you. I'm glad we have been able to keep you safe. Our name for you is Valodyn, which means one who brings together."
"I can't believe I thought you had bad news for me."
"Well, here comes the difficult part." Temeron took over. "When we were going to embark on our journey here to Earth, we took her on board our craft in a suspended animation chamber. Our craft is now at the bottom of the lake by the copper mill. Now, before you panic, Zemostra assures me that the computer is keeping her life support going for as long as possible. Damion is on his way back here now to help us rescue her. We will leave as soon as he arrives. Don't worry, we will save your mother."
Mina wasn't completely reassured, but she was resolved to keep an optimistic attitude. Perhaps only faith could keep her mother safe.
Zemostra came and put his hand on Azaroth's shoulder. "I designed the suspended animation chamber to withstand almost any calamity. It is right up against the Core Zone, which is the heart of the ship. Remember, the computer is an artificial intelligence. It will use every ounce of energy on board to keep life support going for our dear, sweet friend."
Temeron turned to Azaroth. "We can't keep this from Mina any longer. We must tell her."
Azaroth nodded his head thoughtfully. "I'll send someone to find Damion. He may be able to help rescue Wondimyn. We don't know how much time we have so we must treat this with the utmost of urgency."
Together the three of them went to find Mina. She was in the gift store thumbing through a magazine. Temeron approached her and asked if she would come sit with them in one of the conference rooms. She agreed and they went. Once they were all seated, she looked a bit unnerved. Temeron faced her. "We have something to tell you. It won't be easy for you to hear, but you must know."
Now Mina was much more anxious. She looked at each of the three Collective in turn. "I can't imagine what it is that you might have to say to me, but I get the feeling I won't like it."
Temeron had a look of calm resolve. "We know where your mother is."
Mina looked around as if she had lost something. "Uh, my mother lives in Tucson. Is she in any danger?"
"The people who raised you were not your biological parents."
"Well, yeah, I know. They were my foster parents."
"We know who your real mother is."
Mina became absolutely still. She didn't quite know how to process this information. "Why would you know who my real mother is?"
"She is a dear friend of ours who has lived with us on Sypraxia for all of your life."
Mina had still not moved a single muscle. Her eyes darted to the right. "My mother is an alien?"
"No, your mother is very much human. Would you like to hear her story?"
"Sure. I don't think anything you say at this point would come as a surprise to me."
Zemostra brought Repotox, the story teller, into the conference room. He sat in a chair directly across from Mina. "Your mother is a very special woman. Our name for her is Wondimyn, which means one who spreads love. We Collective have been coming to Earth for millenia. In our many travels, we've tried to keep discovery of our existence from happening.
"One fateful night, we landed in a forest clearing that we thought was devoid of people. We were wrong. There was a young lady there who had been praying. She seemed in no way to be afraid of us. She told us her name was Kaziah Soulever."
Mina interrupted. "So that's my real last name? Soulever? It's beautiful."
Repotox smiled and continued. "We told her where we were from and what we were doing here. We were students of the human race. We wanted to know all about humans. She wanted to know all about us. She promised to tell us everything she knew about humanity if we would take her to our home planet. After much discussion among ourselves, we agreed and she boarded our craft. We brought her to Sypraxia."
Tears came to Mina's eyes. "That is so amazing!"
The story went into more detail. "She taught us about your culture, history and God. When she had told us everything she could about humanity, it was our turn to teach her about the Collective. You see, we don't always communicate orally. When we are together as a lake, we share our thoughts directly from mind to mind. We invited Kaziah to swim in the lake. She waded in and floated on her back. All of our collected thoughts, joys, fears, loves, hopes, sorrows and stories flowed through her spirit like a river.
"As the weeks passed, it was discovered that she had somehow become impregnated by her swim in our lake. It was the most wonderful thing that had ever happened to us. She would give birth to offspring that were part human and part Collective. About nine months later, you were born."
"You mean. You're saying. You mean I'm half Collective?" Mina looked stunned.
"That is why you have the green aura of the Collective. As you know, the Nocent have a red aura. You are the only one of your kind in existence. That is why you are a sensor. It is also why Rend wanted you. I'm glad we have been able to keep you safe. Our name for you is Valodyn, which means one who brings together."
"I can't believe I thought you had bad news for me."
"Well, here comes the difficult part." Temeron took over. "When we were going to embark on our journey here to Earth, we took her on board our craft in a suspended animation chamber. Our craft is now at the bottom of the lake by the copper mill. Now, before you panic, Zemostra assures me that the computer is keeping her life support going for as long as possible. Damion is on his way back here now to help us rescue her. We will leave as soon as he arrives. Don't worry, we will save your mother."
Mina wasn't completely reassured, but she was resolved to keep an optimistic attitude. Perhaps only faith could keep her mother safe.
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