Chapter Two
Now of all the worlds in the far-flung darkness of endless space, Haven was one of the most beautiful. It was little wonder its people thought themselves a chosen lot. It shone like a blue-green jewel that orbited about its sun, in 369 of its revolutions. It had four sisters and five brothers, and about it spun its seven children, three going around its middle, two going around its top and bottom, and two running wildly between.
2 The miracle of life came to it of its own accord. In the thunder and lightning of its ancient seas, chemicals were fused, and a living thing was born. And that thing grew and changed, and filled its world with life.
3 Now the ancestors of the Haven race were bat-like creatures having two sets of wings. They made their homes in caves and tall trees, and lived on insects, small animals, fruit and nuts.
4 Slowly one pair of their wings grew smaller, and moved around to the front of their bodies, and became arms and hands, while the other pair grew larger and stronger. Their legs grew longer, and their feet adapted for both walking and hanging in the trees, so they were as much at home on the ground as in the air.
5 They, too, learned the way of the planting of seeds, and the keeping of animals. Their villages grew, and their cities were large. They were mostly a peaceful people, though they learned the ways of making metal for weapons and tools.
6 Then, one day, a traveller came to Haven also. His ship thundered form the sky and struck one of its great seas and was destroyed in a blazing light. The creature within the ship died, but its spirit survived, and it was a dark spirit, for it was one of the last of its vile and evil race. In their greed and ignorance they had destroyed their own world. Now, in desperation, they sought new worlds to conquer.
7 The spirit of this alien found a feeble-minded shepherd who he possessed, and began to speak through. "I am The Lord God, the maker of all things, the ruler of the heavens and the earth, the giver of all laws, the ruler of all lands. I have descended from the heavens and taken this body, that I may rule the perfect people that I have made; my chosen lot, my special children, my Angels.
8 I will give you power and dominion over every land, over every star. No one shall be greater than you. You shall be The Ultimate Race, the most perfect that I have created.
9 You shall be my hands and my feet, my breath and my life. Bow down and worship me and I will make of you a glorious people. Those who worship me shall I make mighty. Those who deny me, I will destroy."
10 Now the spirit had great power and did many things to impress the people. Many came to believe his lies, and began to follow the shepherd. They took charge of the city near where he lived, and the city next to that, and the city next to that.
11 They made swords, spears, and shields, and fought bitterly with all who opposed their Lord God, until Haven ran red with blood. Men, women and children they murdered who would not accept the glory of their god, until at last they ruled all the land where they lived.
12 But then the spirit began to have difficulty controlling the one through whom he spoke, and began to realize that something was wrong. It was not long before he found the problem. The star fields of Haven were different than those under which he was born. The bodies of The Havens differed from those of his people. He could not absorb enough material energy from his host to feed his soul. He was slowly dying.
13 Quickly he gave his followers orders. "You must build me a special throne room," he said, "a Holy of Holies. It must be lined within, with sheets of gold on the walls, the ceilings, and the floors, and a curtain of woven gold must hang upon the door so when it is closed, none may see within, but those outside may still hear me speak. You must also bring me all manner of precious stones and crystals, gold and silver, made into fine wire, and, the tools of a jeweler."
14 When the people had obeyed him, the alien took the jewels, crystals, gold and silver, and beneath the plates of the walls in The holy of Holies he secretly built a machine, a transformer that would alter the energy given off by the Haven's bodies into a form which he could feed upon.
15 And when he was done, he was well pleased. Any Haven sitting on the throne inside The Holy of Holies he could control, he could feed upon. "Now I live forever," said the alien, "nothing can destroy me. I am the father, I am the son, I am the holy ghost. I shall make these people my slaves and through them all the universe shall be mine." So it was that his people conquered all of Haven, and began to reach for the stars.
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