Chapter 5
They got cleaned up and got some sleep. The Ancient One got up
before the others, dressed, and went out. The Professor was not
up, but one of his young assistants was. "Do you need
something, sir?" he asked.
"No," The Ancient One answered. "I'm going to try
to faze shift and have a talk with these people. There might be
some small possibility that they would see reason. I suppose it
has to be tried."
"Why do you think the chances are so small?" the young
man asked.
"Experience," The Ancient One answered. "I've
dealt with creatures like this in one hundred forms in one
hundred existences. I can almost predict their nature. That these
things are attempting this shows they have no respect for other
life."
"I can't imagine," the young man answered, "how
long have you existed, sir?"
"Damned if I know!" The Ancient One answered. "
There was a long period in which my people were trapped in The
Afterlife with no reference point in the material realm. I'm at
least 500,000 years old. There's a possibility I may be twice
that. I've had the opportunity to see an awful lot of
ignorance!"
"I can imagine!" the young man answered. "I will
tell your associates what you're attempting if they should wake
before you return."
"Good!" The Ancient One praised. "You do your
people honor."
The Ancient One spread his arms and his wings and concentrated.
He began to shimmer. After a time he seemed to slowly fade out of
existence. A while later he found the area around him changing.
The shadows on the floor were a little bit longer, the light
outside a little bit brighter.
"That should be just about right!" he muttered, and
hurried off. He found it was easier penetrating the alien shields
in this time sync. He saw thousands of them working, growing the
crops that seemed to be so vital to them. Some of them glanced at
him, but then continued working. The Ancient One stopped by one
that appeared to be a female. She stopped and stared at him. The
Ancient One took her arm and held it up. There were several
growths on it, and he could see the scars where several others
had been removed.
"Melanoma," he muttered. The female yanked her arm away
and went back to work. The Ancient One made for the portal area.
As he landed several guards approached him, but three sharp
whistles made them back off. A male approached stopping inches
from The Ancient One.
"Magnificent!" the man muttered. "We are busy.
Please do not disturb us. We are preparing to extend our area. We
must have more growing space."
"Not here!" The Ancient One answered. "You have to
leave. If you begin pulling out now we will take no action
against you. If you do not we will have to destroy this operation
and make sure that you never return by destroying your portals.
Then you will be able to go nowhere."
"We can't leave," the man answered. "Our sun is
expanding. Our shields can no longer protect us. The ground has
become sterile. If we are to survive we must transfer our
population to this world. There is no alternative!"
"There is a world," The Ancient One answered, "not
far from this one that already has a methane atmosphere. It would
take very little effort for you to colonize that one."
"We know of it," the man answered. "There isn't
enough time! We can't prepare that world quick enough to move our
population. We have to have this one!"
"This world is inhabited" The Ancient One answered,
"by intelligent beings."
"They are not human," the man answered, "they are
creatures, things. Their destruction will not mater. It is
necessary for the survival of the people. I really can't argue
with you. I do not have the time! Nothing can be done. We HAVE to
have this world, that is it! If you interfere we will destroy
you!"
"Hardly!" The Ancient One answered. "Very well, I
tried to reason with you but there is nothing to reason with. Now
I will have to take the other alternative. You are warned! It is
not my desire to destroy you, but if you force me to I will. This
is your final warning. We will be ready to attack soon. If you
are not shutting down by then, we will begin the moment we are
ready."
"Go away!" the man muttered. "We have no time for
you! Go away!"
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