MORE THAN AN ECHO (Sequel to Second Coming)

The tall secondary door opens and Tre’ leads the crew into his world. Each member is dressed in the Colony supplied environmental garments. Each also wears a pack of equipment strapped to their backs. Some already hold devices to scan and record. The report which will be sent to home from this tour will be the most important message that the Earth has ever received.

In the corridor to the left of the crew floats a silver disk. Regnoh says to the Commander, “Your description was exact, I see our transportation device awaits us.”

Tre’ leads the way and steps up onto the floating leaf. Velmana ask, “How fast does it travel? With nothing to hold for support, I may lose my balance.”

“I had no trouble on one earlier. It offers a very smooth ride.” The Commander assures her.

After several turns down the corridor the disk stops. Tre’ motions for the others to follow him. He enters into a tunnel like hallway and tells the crew, “This passage was created for your tour.” They step out of the hallway and onto a balcony.

The area is a large cave like space. It seems to be cut from solid rock. The front wall of the balcony is made of a solid transparent material. The crew look out through the window wall and see the many levels of the Colony’s vessel. Pleytus remarks, “It’s like looking out over a great metropolis! I cannot fathom the size of this vessel!”

The crew gaze all around attempting to take in the full view. Structures, equipment and activity span for as far as the eyes can see. It’s as if they are gazing upon a city that goes on forever.

“Look, there! Those are Colony units!” Zaque points to three large beings moving about. They are ascending to levels above. They climb the long cables which hang down from higher levels.

Regnoh adds, “Commander even your splendid description could not have prepared us for this. They are giants indeed! In comparison to their size, we seem to be the insects!”

Velmana moves closer to Chrystoya and whispers, “They are frightening!” Chrystoya’s expression reveals her agreement.

“Watch them move, they are extremely agile and graceful.” The Commander says. She is enjoying watching the crew experience their first view of these alien beings.

Tre’ allows the crew the time they need to process this encounter. He detects his own emotions changing. He looks within and explores the sensation. He watches the wonder of the crew as they gaze into the Colony’s world. The color of each member changes rapidly. They are finding great pleasure in this experience that he is directing. Is this self-satisfaction that he feels? Pride? Whatever it is, he decides it feels pleasurable.

They next area that they visit seems much more constructed and scientific than the corridors and tunnels first encountered. They travel on smooth polished floors with straight and squared walls, holding up very high ceilings. Tre’ departs the disk and approaches a white wall. He places a hand on the wall and instantly it becomes transparent, revealing a vast cavern. White and yellow lights pulse and strobe throughout the stadium sized cave.

“This area is where all Colony life force units enter hibernation. Once a Colony shell has reached the end of its assignment, the life force unit is removed and stored here. It begins a process of regeneration and will remain in stasis until needed for a future shell.” Tre’ explains.

Chrystoya ask, “The end of an assignment. Do you mean the shell dies?”

“Dies? Terminates, ends, expires?” Tre’ ponders the questions. “You are correct. The Colony shells eventually wear down and expire. At that time the life force unit is removed and stored here.” Tre’ points to the cavern.

Unlike the crew’s balcony view, this cavern is only one level. It has a flat surface that seems to be kilometers deep. There are thousands of squared stations throughout. The table like edifices each possess a membrane covered pouch on top. The pouches have multiple cables and veins attached. The pouches move up and down, like a heart beating or a lung filling with air.

Pleytus ask, “Tre’ what is the average time duration of a Colony shell?”

Tre’ answers, “Though a Colony cycle is a longer duration than your species measures time, a shell unit last approximately two hundred and fifty cycles.”

“And how long do the life force units last? The Commander ask.

Tre’ pauses as his eyes roam around, “Each life force unit has been in existence since ancient times. During our evolution, we adapted from birthing offspring to our current process of regeneration.”

Pleytus says, “Amazing, then each unit in a sense is millions of cycles old.” Tre’ nods at the crew member’s understanding.

Regnoh cannot take his eyes away from the activity in the chamber. Attendant units move about the larvae pouches, checking instruments and adjusting cables. “How long do the life force units need to regenerate?”

“The regeneration cycle last twenty- five cycles, but the process can be adjusted if so required.” Tre’ answers.

The Commander ask, “Tre’, was your life force unit stored here, before you were...born?”

“Born? Colony units are not born.” Tre’s eyes move around as he discovers the correct words to explain. “The life force units are stored here and replenished, regenerated until such time that a new shell must be activated.” He adds, “And yes, my life force unit was stored here until it was placed into my unique shell.”

Chrystoya ask, “And where do the shells come from?”

As the crew and Tre’ travel to their next activity, he explains the evolution of his species. The invertebrates were able to reproduce asexually in ancient times. The birth of a new unit meant the ending of the parent unit.

Once the invertebrates merged with the photosynthetic life form, a paradigm shift occurred, as a more efficient process was developed. The conscious life form could create and grow the shells required for the proper operation of the Colony. All life force units began to be regenerated, and used in a continual cycle which has spanned millions of generations.

Regnoh remarks, “It almost seems like reincarnation.”

“Reanimation of the life force unit is a process originating in the photosynthetic consciousness of the Colony.” Tre’ explains. “Before the two ancient species of our world merged, the flora being existed in a seasonal renewal process. This principle is applied to all of the Colony’s technology and culture.”

As Tre’ departs from the disk, he instructs the crew, “You may need your breathing filter in the next chamber we visit.”

The crew prepare their devices. Tre’ opens the door and leads them in. “This is the Colony’s hatching chamber.”

The room is vast and the ceiling high. Amber light fills the space. All of the crew can feel the change in the atmosphere. This chamber is much warmer than other areas they have visited. Towering attendant units move about.

There are many flat, squared raised tables or beds. Each contains the body of a colossal Colony unit. The units are all covered in a thin brown tissue material. They lie on their backs with lifeless limbs spread out. They are pale and still, and resemble corpses. An attendant unit travels toward one of the inanimate beings. It carries a small pouch in its upper limbs.

The attendant reaches into the tissue covering and touches an area on the body of the being lying on the table. The skin opens and the attendant places the pouch into it. The shell seals around the pouch.

The attendant adjust several cables which are attached to the table. The color of the inanimate being begins to change, then it moves. The newly hatched being rises and tears through the thin brown covering. The unit begins walking. The crew stay in the chamber long enough to witness several more units hatch and join the Colony’s population.

Tre’ speaks to Pleytus and Zaque as the travel to the next station of their tour, “You may both find interest in learning of the Colony’s propulsion system. We will next tour the Colony’s star drive chamber.”

The chamber is vast and illuminated in blue light. Tre’ leads the crew out onto a walkway. Below the walkway is a deep, spiraling cavern. A blue pulsing orb throbs and shines deep in the tunnel below them. The crew follow Tre’ as they walk along the platform which encircles the chamber.

“What type of energy source powers the Colony’s propulsion drive?” Pleytus ask.

“Starlight. The Colony’s technology allows the ability to capture light from distant stars and convert it into energy.” Tre’ points below to the pulsing blue orb. “The energy is focused to interact with the propulsion drive here.”

Pleytus ask, “Exactly how do you capture the star light? Are there solar panels on your vessels exterior?”

“You are correct. There are multiple panels on the exterior of our vessel which capture the light.” Tre’ explains.

Zaque ask, “And the panels can catch light from a great distance? I mean, since the vessel is traveling through open space, how can they catch enough light to power such an enormous vessel?”

Tre’ pauses as his green eyes move about. “This technology has been developing for thousands of cycles. It operates with high efficiency. If the vessel travels in close proximity to a star, many of the panels must be retracted, to avoid an overload of energy.”

Pleytus speaks more to Zaque than he does to Tre’, “For a species which can communicate over hundreds of light years, it seems proper that they would be advanced in all areas of technology. The Shi’ann could make great use of such propulsion technology.”

Tre’ speaks eagerly, “The equipment installed on your spacecraft will be powered in this manner. You will return home using this Colony starlight technology.”

The crew is told that the docking bay where their dwelling places are located is actually one of the smaller bays on their star vessel. Tre’ leads the crew through enormous doors into an area that must be kilometers deep. The multi-level room has much activity as Colony units and equipment move about.

Tre’ explains that this area is where solar panels are brought into for maintenance. The panels are huge. They are easily twice the width of the Garguth. Pleytus ask “Why are none of the panels exactly like the others? They are all shaped differently.”

“Panels are constructed to better facilitate the area where they will be mounted.” Tre’ answers.

Regnoh laughs “Ah! Of course the Colony can custom design their equipment. With what we’ve seen here, nothing about them surprises me. Their technology borders on being magical!”

Zaque motions to silver gray, pear shaped crafts and ask Tre’, “Are those flying vessel? They appear to be small crafts.”

Tre’ explains that these are maintenance and scout ships. The crafts are flown by Colony pilot units. The vessels are used for maintenance and repair to the exterior of their vessel, as well as exploration parties. The Colony often sends scout ships out to explore planetary and other cosmic bodies. This is how they encountered the ancient earth probe.

Tre’ leads the crew closer to one of the silver ships. He touches an area on the craft and the clear top side dome opens with a click. “The pilot units occupy this space.”

Pleytus moves closer for a better view. He is searching for controls but finds none. “How is the craft operated?”

Tre’ stretches one arm out into the craft, he waves his hand and cables rise from the floor and encircle his arm. “The pilot units access the crafts systems this way.”

“Would a craft allow for a human pilot?” An excited Pleytus ask.

“Your species does not have the neurological development nor cognitive abilities to operate the craft,

but adjustments be made that might allow it.” Tre’ nods at the crew.

Pleytus ask, “And the crafts in our docking bay, I uh... assume they are space crafts, what are they used for? Their design is different from these scout ships.”

Tre’ answers, “Those are not Colony vessels.” He wrinkles his brow. “Those ships have been in stasis since the Colony encountered the Seconds, hundreds of cycles ago.”

Regnoh jumps into the conversation. “You have mentioned the Seconds before as being sentient. Can you tell us more about them?”

“Even more important than that my fine host, tell us why you still have their ships!” Pleytus exclaims.

Tre’ answers, “There is a refreshment and rest station scheduled next on our tour.” He steps upon the

disk. “I will share the Colony’s encounter with the Seconds while we recline and rest.”

The crew are pleased with Tre’s answer and step up on the disk. Samantha senses that Tre’ is the one in

need of rest. The mention of the Seconds again seems to cause him to become troubled. He learns fast,

she thinks. He is buying time to prepare an answer. The Commander laughs within herself as she

realizes that Tre’ is acting as human as any member of her crew. He would make a fine Shi’ann Councilor.

The Raugnot evolved on a world rich in flora and fauna. The defining feature of their culture has

become the honor of the hunt. The aggressive nature of these masters of pursuit and kill is evident in every aspect of their society. Eventually they achieved space travel and have hunted all the worlds in their system.

Five hundred cycles ago the Colony detected a life force pattern similar to their own on a alien world. Their star traveling vessel was in close proximity to the system bearing a life signal. As they would repeat with the Shi’ann many cycles later, they sent communications to Second’s home world. The Raugnot answered and sent vessels toward the message from the stars.

From the first exchange, there were warning signs in the Second’s vague replies and their many questions of defense and weapons capabilities. Twenty ships from the Raugnot’s home world intercepted the Colony vessel. An assault began as the Second’s attempted and then succeeded in boarding the larger vessel.

Seven alien craft made it inside a docking bay before the Colony could seal all outer ports. The aliens immediately exited their crafts and began to attack. They Colony reacted quickly and subdued the Seconds, though considerable loses had occurred. Several hundred Colony units had been eliminated, some even losing the regenerative internal life force unit. Those units were dead and forever gone. The Colony had not experienced a loss of a life force unit since they left their home world, eons ago.

A few dozen of the Raugnot survived the Colony’s response. The aliens remaining alive were placed in hibernation aboard their own crafts. The Overlords considered the matter for several rotations and decided to keep the Seconds alive and dormant until a habitable world could be located.

The Colony knew that this species had its origin from the same source that had given life to them. They bestowed a respect toward the species. It was not a respect for what the species had achieved or became. The Raugnot were respected for what they were, alive. The cosmos had allowed their being and existence as it had the Colony, and some other mysterious force had assisted. They will allow the Seconds a chance to exist again.

“Will we be able to examine the aliens in stasis?” Pleytus ask excitedly.

“No, it is forbidden!” Tre’ answers with fear in his voice. After he recovers he adds “The Colony has much data on their species which I can transmit to your vessel’s informatory systems.”

Tre’ leads the crew forward on their tour. They enter a chamber that has the appearance and atmosphere of a medical facility. The scale of the chamber is overwhelming at first glance. There are multiple corridors and examination rooms on each side of this grand and shining hall.

Tre’ announces, “This is a bio-chamber.” he leads the crew into an examination room. He moves to a raised control station and adds, “This compartment has been altered to assist your tour.”

A wall opens to reveal a large flat device. “Colony units in need of medical attention or inquiry lie here.” Immediately some of the crew let out murmurs of excitement as a gigantic Colony unit suddenly appears stretched out across the examination bed. “Do not be frightened, the display you view is a holographic projection.”

“Amazing!” Chrystoya says revealing she has lost all of her fear. She moves closer and begins removing equipment from her pack.

“I know you’ve waited for this moment!” Regnoh laughs, “Let me help you set up the recorders.”

Tre’ begins his lecture on the Colony’s biological processes. The hologram lights up in different places as Tre’ explains the functions of organs and systems.

This last station on their tour demands the greatest amount of time for questions and answers. The Shi’ann marvel at beholding an ancient species which has evolved from two distinct life forms. Primitive invertebrates and an intelligent, photosynthetic, florian creature became the Colony.

The crew have disembarked the disk and have removed their environmental suites. The Commander says, “Tre’, thank you for the tour, we are so fascinated with your world. Our society will be enriched by all that you have shown us.”

Velmana says in a soft voice, “Tre’, you have honored us today, may we offer you the proper greeting of our people?”

Tre’ smiles as he steps down from the silver disk, walking towards Velmana he spreads his arms, “I greet you in peace, with open arms, my friend.”