MORE THAN AN ECHO (Sequel to Second Coming)

The young life unit is ready to be moved. It has matured to the proper level and shall now be placed into a prepared shell. The attendant lifts the small bundle of life and travels toward the shell that awaits the consciousness which it shall host.

The small bundle wiggles and moves as it is being carried. The attendant cradles the young life unit closer to its shell, adjusting its hold, as to not allow the small thing to fall and become damaged. It is an action that other species might find endearing, a young life unit being held tenderly. The attendant’s species does not function in such an emotional manner. The attendant performs its duty in service to the Colony.

The shell in which the young life unit will be placed is different from all other shells. The attendant has never witnessed such a shell, and pauses for a moment. The attendant inquires of the Colony. The Colony communicates that this is the proper shell. The young life unit is placed within the shell.

The attendant watches as the shell closes around the young larvae. The shell breathes on its own. The attendant’s task is complete. As it continues to other duties, the attendant regards the strange and odd shell. The attendant ask “Why would a different shell be required?”

This question is stored with all other questions and thoughts in the Memory Chamber of the Colony. The answer is stored there as well. “The reason for the different shell will be made manifest.” This is the dictate of the Overseers.

The young life unit becomes conscious. It hears the Colony. “Belong.” It feels the Colony. “Connected.” It is safe and in harmony with the Colony. The memories of the Colony flow through its neural pathways and it understands. The new life unit understands the history of the Colony. It feels every step taken. It knows every epoch, every era, every age.

But there is another one here, another consciousness, another way that is not connected to the Colony. This other consciousness shares the same shell as the young life unit. The life unit listens to the other consciousness. It does not understand. It is different. It cannot hear the Colony.

The life unit connects with the other consciousness. The life unit leads the other consciousness towards the Colony. The other consciousness is simple and undeveloped. It knows one, only itself. Together the two now inquire of the Colony, but the Colony cannot hear this new way.

The other consciousness knows fear. The life unit embraces the other. “Not alone. Together.” The other consciousness slowly merges with the life unit. It with the life unit, causes the shell to breathe. “This is existence” the two think together.

The other consciousness is odd to the life unit. It does not have access to any past memories or history. The life unit searches through the Colony’s Memory Chamber inquiring about this different way. The Chamber, though it contains the memories of millions of generations, has not even a small bit of information of this new way.

The life unit understands that it is the most unique member of the Colony that has ever existed. No other unit, not even a Director or Overseer, have ever shared a shell with another consciousness. No other unit has ever merged with a new way. Though the unit’s species do not experience emotions, as some species do, this unit begins to experience something that closely resembles fascination.

The new unique unit considers its shell. Understanding the shell’s function becomes its focus. The new unit raises itself from the hatching compartment and stands erect. The unit examines the limbs and torso of its shell. It has only four limbs. It is much smaller than Colony shells. It has no tail. This shell has sex organs and other strange systems. Such an alien and unique shell. It inquires of the Colony of its purpose and function.

The Colony sends a “Forthcoming” command. This command allows a unit to cease from activity and assignment. “At rest” is the best description for this type of instruction. The unit further examines its strange and unique shell.

There is a familiarity of the shell which is a product of the other consciousness. Though the two distinct entities have merged and now function as one, there is still a duality of views. Two distinct paradigms of reality, of interpreting experiences.

The unit takes a few steps on the short thin lower limbs. Balance is difficult as the shell does not have a tail with which to establish equilibrium. The instinct of tail balance spans the memory of all generations within the Colony. This unit though unique and without a tail, carries those memories as well.

After a few steps, the nature of this shell body takes over. It seems that the other consciousness possesses instincts of its use of the limbs. Swinging the upper limbs as it moves helps to coordinate its rhythm and balance. Within a short time, it begins moving as others who dwell in such a shell, would move.

The Colony calls, this unit hears and responds. It travels down the long and tall corridor to meet with the Overseers. Along the pathway this unit encounters other Colony units which are going about their assignments. These other units, equipped with standard shells, tower above this new unit. None seem to notice the strange and small shell of this newly hatched unique unit.

The Overseers’ chamber is a large cavern. It is filled with technology and the station pods of each of the six Overseers. There are five other chambers such as this one, which are spread throughout the Colony’s star traveling vessel. Thirty-six Overseer units in total to pilot the vessel and direct the many systems which sustain the entire Colony. This has been the Colony’s function for over five hundred thousand cycles. The Colony exist and will continue to do so in this manner, until their vessel reaches Paradise Prime.

The new life unit stands before the Overseers. All six Overseers turn to face the small strange shelled creature. The new life unit looks up at the towering beings. Though their mandibles do not move, it can hear them. The Overseers are communicating. This unit has been summoned. It will be issued an assignment. A device rises in front of the life unit. It appears to be a long stemmed plant with a bulbous top. The upside down pod shaped top opens and the new life unit understands. It places its head inside the opening.

With a flash of light, sound and vibration the new life unit waves and moves as if in a dance to music only it alone can hear. Information, instructions, the assignment, all flow into its mind. Each bit of information is recorded and stored in its shell memories. Its existence, its being, its purpose all has now become comprehensible. It has been given a special designation. The new life unit marvels at the Colony’s objective. This unit has been engineered and assigned to be the first ambassador to the Thirds.

The Colony has existed for millions of cycles and yet until recently, in all of the vast galaxy which it has traveled, it has only encountered one other intelligent sentient species. The Seconds were discovered generations ago, and the Colony learned much from that chaotic experience. It prepared for any additional new intelligent species which it might encounter during its long journey.

The Colony has been communicating with the Thirds for only a short time. Their first messages went unanswered for over hundreds of cycles. Apparently the Thirds had not yet developed the technology or the interest in looking beyond their own world. Since returned messages began the Colony have learned much about this younger species’ culture. The Thirds do not appear hostel as the Seconds proved to be, though in the records of their own ancient past, they were savage and wild, waging war even against their own kind.

The Thirds insinuate to be a peaceful and balanced culture. Their responses to the Colony’s messages reveal them to be benign curious explorers. The Thirds, just as the Seconds, are currently unaware of their connection to the Colony. Because of this connection, the Colony must have direct contact with the younger species. There will be a sharing of information and technology. Both species shall benefit from this encounter.

Perhaps the Thirds have clues to the answer that the Colony has sought since they left their home world so long ago. The Colony seeks the location of Paradise Prime, the ancient world from which all life was bestowed.

Tre’ is inside its specialized dwelling space. The Overseers designated the new life unit as Tre’. This designation will be necessary once direct contact has been made with the Thirds. The Colony does not naturally rely on individual designations. Each unit knows its function and purpose from the moment of hatching. Only a few designations are required for communication among the Colony.

The Third’s culture has developed differently. They are a species which is focused upon individual experience and expression. Tre’ will be required to communicate with the younger species, and must conduct itself in a similar manner.

Tre’ has been assigned task and exercises which will better prepare it for a functioning exchange of information with the Thirds. The Directors have supplied different devices that Tre’ must utilize and master before its appointment with the guest. Tre’ considers the guest who have traveled such a great distance. Their shell lifespans are significantly shorter than the Colony’s, and yet they devote so much effort and life time to making contact with another species. They are a respectable species.

Tre’ begins its first assignment by listening to recordings of communication sounds. It experiences a curious fascination and excitement as the voices of the Thirds are heard for the first time. The articulations seem to be made by pushing breath from their mid-section up through the opening residing on the head of the shell. The Seconds utilize a similar vocalization system, but the sound of the Thirds’ voices is pleasant in comparison.

She opens her eyes but cannot yet focus. She had been dreaming moments before. The dawning of her consciousness drives the dream back into the dark corners of her mind. She reaches for the remaining flimsy ribbons of the dream and remembers with sadness, she had been dreaming of her mother. After all this time, all these many cycles and she still longs for the presence of her mother.

She is the only child of her late young parents. Though she was a toddler when they died in the accident, she still retains fresh memories of their faces, and their love. They had joined the Ones Before long before she was ready to give them up. Her time of growing up with her grandparents was more than adequate for her needs, both physical and emotional. Still, she would give anything to be held in her mother’s embrace again.

With fondness she recalls the faces of her grandparents. They had provided her with a good life and a stable foundation of support for all of her studies. She was a young adult before she understood the place of honor that her grandparents held in all of Shi’ann society. The couple’s life accomplishments have forever progressed the path of the people into a wonderful, exciting and promising future.

Leiyana and her Gransam are the anchors of her heart and ambitions. She will always honor them for all that they did for her, for all that they gave. In sadness she remembers her last time with them, saying goodbye and then she suddenly remembers that they are gone now and she is aboard the Garguth. She is awake and that means that the craft has reached the rendezvous point. She reaches for the control pad of her suspension chamber.

A reflector device was presented to Tre’ for practicing vocal communication and body movements. When Tre’ first saw its own reflection, it was startled at the sight of the strange small being staring back. Do all of the Thirds appear this strange and alien?

Tre’ possesses a shell of male gender. As the Colony evolved, it remained an asexual species. The Memory Chamber does not contain any remembrance of another gender. Even this defines the uniqueness of Tre’s being. No other units have ever possessed a male gender.

The garments that Tre’ must wear are not comfortable. Colony units never wear any type of garment, unless they are performing duties in a toxic environment or have to leave the confines of the star vessel. Tre’s review of the Third’s culture provides an understanding of the reason for such outward coverings. Protection from the natural elements was the original purpose. Among this younger species now, besides the obvious protection for their faint shells, it is a sign of respect due to the sexual nature of their being. Tre’ must meet them as an equal and will abide by their customs.