- - -

◇◆◇

- - -

【Vision of an Alternate Future】

Arc 2: Return of the Crystal Guardians

- - -

◇◆◇

〚『~』〛

【VAF】Chapter║: 47 ─ Memories 5

〚『~』〛

◇◆◇

It is 10 years after the end of the Circlean wars; Naole is still in a sleep mode, and he’s held prisoner in an underground facility underneath Chicago. Naole is held in a Negative Psionic Energy containment field, and that prevents him from rebuilding his core Energies. However events had overtaken Circlean plans and Naole was now officially under the custody of the United States Government.

At the end of the Circlean wars Circleans made a deal with the United States Government; The Circleans provide the Americans access to Circlean technology and the Americans provide sanctuary for the Circleans. US military leaders have always wanted access to Crystalan technology and now they had access to Circlean technology; which for all intensive purposes is actually Crystalan technology.

With access to Circlean technology the USA made breakthroughs in technology; gaining new advanced technology that dwarfed that available to any other government. The US was once again at the cutting edge of military technology and with the Africans now at odds with Crystalorb America could once again express technological hegemony all over the world.

As part of the deal between Circleans and the United States Government the Circlean facility underneath Chicago was handed over to the US’s DARPA. The underground complex is buried a kilometre underneath the US city of Chicago and was built in secret by Circleans at the start of Circlean wars. The Circleans built the underground facility in order to benefit from the Negative Psionic Energy generated by a city population that exceeds 25 million.

With the United States Government consent the Circleans had been experimenting with an advanced Nuclear Fusion mechanism that uses Negative Psionic Energy as part of an energy source mix, and the hope was that the advanced new form of Nuclear Fusion would be comparable to Crystalorb Technology. The Circleans Nuclear Fusion mechanism posed a significant risk to the population above, but the United States Government was willing to take such a risk if it meant access to an advanced new form of Nuclear Fusion.

Unfortunately Circlean arrogance combined with American exuberance led to dangerous miscalculations, and from the moment the reactor was switched on it began a self sustaining process that would eventually led to a catastrophic meltdown. After failure to manage and contain the process the Circleans and the American decided that perhaps it was time to ask for Crystalan help.

◇◆◇

With a catastrophic meltdown on the cards Eldon Korin decided that Naole should be the first step in asking for Crystalan help, but General AJ Morris 〘DARPA Director〙 was less than eager to release Naole, and even less so to ask for Crystalan help.

Eldon Korin approaches the Unconscious Naole.

Korin : “ I know you’re watching! The others may not understand but I know what you are!”

Gen-Morris : " Are you sure he’s conscious?"

Korin : “ He has been watching us ever since we captured him!”

Gen-Morris : " Through the Chest Crystal?"

Korin : “ Yes! The Chest Crystal has capabilities most humans cannot begin to imagine; we are capable of a level of consciousness humans can never hope to achieve!”

Gen-Morris : " In our current form? The Crystalan Power rings have given us a window into Crystalan abilities"

Korin : “ Perhaps once Humans accept the idea of physical or genetic modification you’ll understand!”

Gen- Morris : " We will eventually get to that point! Why isn’t he responding?"

Korin : “ I will attempt to reach him telepathically!”

Eldon Korin attempts to make a telepathic connection with Naole and he responds.

Naole : “ And my freedom is assured?”

Korin : “ Provided you assist with this current situation!”

Naole begins to wake up from his deep sleep.

Gen-Morris : " He’s waking up!"

Korin : “ I know; He wants to know if his freedom is guaranteed!”

Gen- Morris : " Provided he can help us contain this mess!"

Naole is now fully alert and he begins to stand up.

Korin : “ At last you have returned Blue Guardian!”

Naole : “ First you have to release me, and then you must return my Crystal Armour!”

Gen-Morris : " The President has authorized your release on condition that you help avert this current crisis"

Korin : “ We need your Nuclear expertise to shut down the processes!”

Gen-Morris : " We would prefer to preserve the Reactor"

Naole : “ The process cannot be stopped because it’s gone too far; meltdown is imminent! The best we can hope for now is containment.”

Gen- Morris : " What about the 25 million plus people above?"

Naole : “ You should have thought about that before you joined up with Circleans! Why didn’t you call for Crystalan help when the crisis started? Now there’s little I can do to minimize the suffering.”

Gen-Morris : " Telling Crystalorb about the problem would reveal our secret alliance with the Circle."

Naole : “ Not to mention the fact that the United States Government is holding a Crystalan captive!”

Gen-Morris : " That too! Crystalans get a little iffy about that!"

Korin : “ If they knew that Naole was in US custody they would wage a merciless war against the USA to free him. Don’t pretend like you don’t care about the millions above; Crystalans care, you can’t help it! I should know; I used to be a Crystalan!”

Naole : “ The process cannot be stopped, and meltdown is imminent, but where meltdown happens is a different matter. Containment is the only option Now. I will raise the reactor and put it into space.”

Gen- Morris : " What about the radiation?"

Korin : “ It’s already starting to leak!”

Naole : “ I will use my Armour to absorb the Radiation, and then I will discard the Armour when I release the Reactor.”

Korin : “ Are you sure you can contain all the energy?”

Naole : “ I don’t have much of a choice now do I? Unless of-course if there are Circleans willing to Help?”

Korin : “ Ah … !”

Naole : “ Didn’t think so!”

Korin : “ Circleans are just not equipped for this sort of thing! That’s not what our technology is designed to do.”

Naole : “ And you just don’t care! Be warned General; Crystalorb will remember who you’ve made friends with.”

Gen- Morris : " I have my orders"

Moments later Naole is released and soon after that he begins the arduous task of raising the stricken reactor from deep underground. The Americans and the Circleans observe Naole from observation posts in the city.

Korin : “ Now you see the major flaw in Crystalan Ideology! He will sacrifice Himself to protect those who would never lift a finger to help him.”

Gen-Morris : " Son of a bitch is actually doing it!" he takes a moment “This cooperation with Circleans is a mistake; an alliance with Crystalorb would have been preferable.”

Korin : “ But they’re not too keen on sharing their tech with humans after their experience with the Africans are they? Which is why NATO got into bed with us! We are the only game in town, and we are offering you a significant edge over the other alliances. As soon as he left the facility Crystalorb became aware of him and I’d bet everything that several Guardians will be upon us within the Hour.”

Gen- Morris : " What happens if Naole dies from this effort?"

Korin : “ My suggestion is that we not be here to find out!”

Gen-Morris : " All units; Rap it up we’re moving out!"

Korin : “ Where to?”

Gen-Morris : " The secondary facility in the arctic!"

While the military officials and their supporting staff hastily leave Naole reaches space and releases the reactor and his Crystal Armour on a trajectory away from Earth.

Naole had succeeded in averting a catastrophe, but the effort had been taxing on his already depleted energies, and without his Crystal Armour the chances of making a safe re-entry were miniscule. Fortunately Crystalans no longer needed to breathe, and Naole’s Guardian Armour had alerted Crystalorb to his predicament; a number of Ascended Guardians were already en-route.

Naole was out of energy and out of luck; he could not sustain orbit, and there wasn’t enough time for him to absorb sufficient energy from the sun to slow his descent. Hope was not lost though, and as he tumbled to the Earth seven Ascended Guardians raced from different directions to Naole’s aid; Dirang, Kato, Raole, Ralen, Nasara, Canala and Casara. Amongst the Armoured Guardians Casara is the swiftest; speeding at over mach 88 to reach her brother.

The other Ascended Guardians are surprised by the Capability gap between them and Casara.

Dirang : “ I knew she was fast, but this is ridiculous!”

Raole : “ Man she’s quick!”

Canala : “ You said it!”

Ralen : “ How does she do that?”

Kato : “ And her speed is still growing!”

Nasara : “ How can she generate so much power?”

Just then Casara reached out and Caught Naole while simultaneously instituting a rapid deceleration. Casara then began a controlled descent to Earth.

Casara : “ That’s enough of your heroics for the day brother!”

Naole : “ Casara; you found me!”

Casara : “ As if there was ever any doubt!”

Then there’s another blinding white light, and Savan, Peo, Hilan and Aurora find themselves back in their timeline. Naole is with them.

Naole : “ What do you think?”

Hilan : “ I see where you’re going! The current situation is as close to destruction as when Crystalorb first faced off against the Circleans.”

Aurora : “ And even if we achieve a measure of success some of those who are currently allied to our side will choose the Migon!”

Peo : “ We will have to make incredible sacrifices!”

Savan : “ Hard to do for a people who have been in Isolation for over 3545 years!”

Naole : “ Hard to do indeed!”

Savan : “ Why do we have to go back in the first place? We have energy now, and we are secure here!”

Hilan : “ Obligations!”

Aurora : “ To the O’con, the Entig and the Humans!”

Peo : “ So Naole; you don’t think our people are prepared for the cost of our return to the galaxy?”

Savan : “ What will it cost?”

Naole : “ Conservative estimate; 2 – 5 Million Crystalan Lives!”

They gasp in shock.

Hilan : “ By the source!”

Savan : “ Your right we’re not prepared for the price we will have to pay!”

Naole : “ This number is just for the early stages of the operation. Migon retaliations will increase the numbers for Crystalorb and others; we could see as much as a billion human deaths.”

Aurora : “ And there’s no way to prevent this outcome?”

Hilan : “ We’ve run thousands of simulations. If we do nothing; hundreds of worlds die! If we act fewer hundreds of worlds die! It’s the lesser of two evils.”

Peo : “ We have no choice but to take the fight to the Migon!”

Savan : “ But can we trust the Humans?umanshhhhhgg”

Naole : “ Honestly; I don’t know!”

Hilan : “ It all depends on what we define as Human.”

Naole : “ I like the Idea of a family of human types; Crystalan, Hodian, Lodian, Hybrids and Normal Humans. I like to refer to Normal Humans as Mankind or simply Man. The others are fully integrated in Normal Human Society, but Crystalans have always wanted to be separate; first for fear of persecution, then later because we preferred being separate. ”

Aurora : “ Mankind sounds good to me!”

Peo : “ That description would allow Crystalans to retain a Human Identity.”

Savan : “ But Crystalans must never be explicitly associated with Mankind. There must always be a distinction between who we are and who they are.”

Naole : “ We are an advanced branch of Humanity, distinctly different from Mankind, but intrinsically linked to other branches of Humanity.”

Hilan : “ Would that imply that we have an unending responsibility to the rest of Humanity?”

Aurora : “ That would certainly complicate our defence posture.”

Peo : “ Defending Humanity would be complicated by their independent Governments.”

Naole : “ Independence is an issue we will have to address. I don’t believe we have unending obligations to the rest of Humanity; for that matter all we have to do to make sure that Humanity survives is to insure Crystalans survives.”

Savan : “ Humanity would survive in us!”

Naole : “ Exactly!”

Hilan : “ Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that!”

Aurora : “ The operations associated with Crystalorb’s return to Normal Space will undoubtedly be a bloody affair, and we will do all we can to minimize the suffering of innocents.”

Peo : “ As Knoras it is our responsibility to plan for all possible contingencies.”

Savan : “ Which is why there is legislation moving through the Crystalorb General Council that will give Naole operational command of Crystalorb’s return to Normal Space. Commander of all Crystalorb Operations for 2 years!”

Aurora : “ A decision of the Guardian Council I believe to be Flawed!”

Naole : “ I tried to explain to them that my place is on the Knowledge Council, that my experience in military operations would be of limited use, but the Crystalorb General Council and the Crystalorb Council of Elders are adamant that they need an experienced Officer in Command.”

Hilan : “ And the Guardian Council has its own hidden reasons for wanting Naole in Command. It might have to do with the fact that there are now 22.5 Billion Crystalans; 62% of whom are from previous generations of Crystalans”

Savan : “ The expansion of the population did not produce the desired results?”

Peo : “ I think it’s a healthy mix of old and new!”

Naole : “ As for the Guardian Council; Arog knows that there is no way to achieve Crystalorb’s return to Normal Space without it resulting in the largest series of battles the Galaxy has ever seen. Arog knows that there will be hard on the spot choices that would have to be made by the Operations Commander, and either way Billions of lives will be lost; thus Arog just doesn’t want to be held responsible for decisions that result in the deaths of billions”

Aurora : “ The entire Guardian Council knows this, and they all want to keep their hands clean!”

◇◆◇

- - -