ENCOUNTER by Hep Aldridge (bill gates books recommendations .txt) 📕

“It would take a lifetime to begin to understand what is here,” Dimitri said.

“It would take many lifetimes, Dimitri,” Jeannie replied, “to just begin. That is why the outer room houses a sequential record of where information is kept within this room.”

Reggie blurted out, “It’s a card catalog like the libraries have back home.”

Jeannie’s brow furrowed for a couple of minutes, and then she smiled, “Yes, Reggie, that is what it is like. When you open a book and place your hand on the page, the transfer begins; you use your mind to control the information transfer speed. This allows you to optimize the flow of information. If you look around the chamber, you will see large vertical crystals. They are also information storage devices and operate in the same way the books do. They became our preferred method of information storage. We explain that concept in the volumes outside. We thought if a civilization from this planet found the library, the visual clues of the books and information contained would allow them to learn and understand the more advanced information storage devices housed in here.”

“That is a very logical approach. I can easily see how it could work without someone to help guide them, such as yourself,” Doc said.

Jeannie nodded, “It was planned for just such a situation, as we had no idea how long it would take, or if someone would find the library, and whether or not I would still be here.”

We roamed the aisles and shelf units for the next two hours, trying to take in the volume of material housed here. As was noted, not only was this place a library, it was a museum, a treasure trove, and information repository of the visual kind. There were stacks of sheets of precious metals with engravings and intaglio drawings and print on them. We were in information overload and hadn’t even opened a book.

Works or artifacts from every civilization you could think of were on display here as well as some that were completely foreign to us.

“Jeannie,” I asked, “I don’t recognize these designs or artifacts; are they from Earth?”

“Yes, Colt, most are, but they pre-date your present civilization by tens of thousands of years. They are remnants of just one of the many advanced civilizations that grew from our colonization efforts, flourished, and were destroyed during the life of your planet.”

“These devices look interesting; what do they do?” I asked.

Jeannie moved to my side and began pointing to them, “This is a cutting and forming tool, used to cut and shape stone and metal. This is a type of anti-gravity device, and this is a personal temporal portal device used for moving from one place to another.”

It looked like an ornate piece of jewelry, a bracelet or wrist cuff, with a large blue stone affixed to it.

“Does it still work?” I asked.

“Yes, of course, everything you see in here is still in working order.”

“How does it work?”

“Place it on your wrist.”

It looked too small to fit me, but it expanded and fit comfortably when I touched it to my wrist. It startled me, and I flinched.

Jeannie laughed. “It will be fine, but I must caution you. You can get yourself into serious situations and trouble if this is misused. Touch the blue stone to activate it, and then think of standing outside the doorway of the library.”

I touched the stone, and a fine mist appeared in front of me. I looked at Jeannie, and she nodded toward the mist, so I stepped in. After a slight feeling of disorientation, the mist cleared, and I was standing outside the library entrance. I had been blown away by the advanced technology we’d been exposed to over these last few days. But more than that, I was amazed at how easy it was to use. This was just another example. My heart was racing as I walked back into the library and to the aisle I had just left. Jeannie was standing there, and I heard, “You could have come back the same way you left,” she said.

“I thought about it but then decided I didn’t want to take a chance of screwing up. As you said, be careful.”

“A wise choice, Colt; you have done well,” she replied.

I took the cuff off and replaced it, “Because these things are all still active, I think we better let everyone know not to mess with the items in here. I wouldn’t want someone to do something they shouldn’t.”

“I agree and will inform them.”

I heard the message loud and clear in my head as Jeannie warned the rest of the team. I could hear their voices scattered throughout the huge room, behind shelves and stacks of artifacts. The excitement was electric.

Jeannie delivered another message. On the counter or shelf where objects were placed was a pyramid-shaped inlay, two inches at its base and three inches high of glossy blue material. She informed us that, when touched, we would get a description of what the object on display was, historical information, and its function or use. Our roaming and discoveries had just become all that more interesting. We spent hours looking and learning—what an amazing place. The more I discovered, the more insignificant I felt in the cosmic scheme of things; it was a humbling experience of monumental proportions.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Jeannie had let us roam the library for the rest of the day, and by its end, we were exhausted. The adrenaline and excitement had us running at one hundred and ten percent all day. As we headed to the “restaurant” for our evening meal, the conversation was chaotic and animated, each trying to fill the others in on what they had seen or found, all speaking simultaneously.

When we entered the building, Jeannie was not there, but Lithel was sitting at the doorway in her cat form. We walked past, and she seemed to acknowledge each of us. When Eduardo entered, she rose and