"After Roswell" by A.H. Roberts (top 100 books to read txt) 📕

the exit of the lift to a door at the end of the hallway. A small gliche flickers in my mind. Flashing a past memory. A repeat event. A early night that scamble me to find a solution to my current situation. When we crashed in the desert near a ranch. A ranch occupied by my friend Hank. I return back to the problem at hand. With all my remaining strength. I hoist Agent Foster over my shoulder. A man twice my height and weight. I'm impressed in this weaken condition. That I'm able to carry this human. Somehow I make it to the end of the hallway. Where I turn the doorknob. The result adds to my physical strain."Its locked. What else can go wrong"? I put Agent Foster down against the wall. He shows response. Only groans and aches from the pain. With more damage sustain to my head. It has caused an unbalance on my telekinectic powers. So zapping the door is out of my arsenal. So I limber up my sore muscles. Crack my stiff bones. I backstep giving myself space between the door. I lower my shoulder. With full speed. I ram over the door. I think Agent Foster created a diversion to escort me to this location. Behind this door. Something of importance was being housed here Even during my rough approach toward the door. I felt a ghostly presence. An energenic force that only feels like that of the navigator. While in the this secret room. The bright lighting attached to the ceiling. Sways side to side from the recent explosion. Monitors and devices surround the massive room. With high ceiling. This room is spread out wide from every corner. Scatter paperwork and other miscellous items litter the floor. Could be that the staff was evacuated when the alarm sounded? At the other end of the room. Another door is visible. Its seems to be latched from the other side. Which keeps the contents of this room secured and safe. Something was placed down here for a reason? I walk around in a circle. Then spot something stationed in the dark. A sound of flowing fluids in a tube can be heard in the corner. Tickering with some switches on a console. A light source emerges from above the strange object. My eyes widen. As I'm shocked and relieved at the same time. My legs soon give way. Like a runner in a cross-country race. Who can no longer make it to the finish line. So I collapse from my discovery.


Chapter 13
"The Reunion"


Years ago, before we left the homeworld. I told myself to make a safe return. That the navigator and me would spend our time soaking in the loathes of the natural beauty back on the homeworld. Watching our very own sunset retreat behind the long stretch of mountains that dwarf anything here on Earth. We would talk up a storm to the sunrise. Watching the sight with amazement. Like the day was going in reverse. We would talk about old times and new. I could share these moments with my son. About my many adventures and voyages through the star systems that fill the nightsky. Finally a chance at making up lost time. I'm not even off the planet. But I have so much on my mind. With all that I've learned and research. It be good to share them with him. Now this little lifeblood I left many years ago. Is full grown now. Able to understand about what my position demanded of me. Yet the navigator and me have been in all kinds of trouble. We've been captured and tortured. United different clans into a diplomatic society. We prevented a galactic war from causing ultimate destruction. Created a huge fleet. Been stationed at different colonial outposts. We have span lightyears from our homeworld. I remember. Because a special recon team was stationed near a colony close to the Sol System. A probe returned with the information that exploited the truth behind Earth. Once I got confirmation from our superiors. We started the journey. I wished there was a way to rewind the clock. I would probably made a different choice. A choice not to accept the mission. But that would promote another to my command. An unknown commander taking over my ship. Giving orders to my crew. I'm sure the navigator would retire with me if that had happen. It just seem to me that this mission would make an imprint in our archives. So that was the reason to accept. Now I remember back on the ship. We totally forgot everything that seem to bother us. While on our way here. We had some free time. We decided to play a game. This would bring out primitive, animalistic instincts buried inside us. We would need such aggression to play this game. A game much played like these humans football. But the ball we used was actually a living organism. Objective of the game was to make it to the other end of the playing field. If you held the ball to long. It would attack your hands. It was pretty dangerous. One of our crew members lost two fingers while holding the organism. No worries. We were able to surgically attach them back onto his hand. Ofcourse this made the game interesting. My friend, the navigator, would win all the time. After the game we would cook the homeworlds favorite food. Turns out that favorite food was the game ball we used. Can't much explain how the game got started? Played before the birth of our modern society. I wonder if we still play that game? A album of memories of the navigator and me. Now here he is. Both of us finally reunited. I speak to him."Its been a long time. I'm here to take us back to the homeworld my friend". Standing up. I find it hard to see my friend. Trapped in this encasement of clear flowing fluid. Machines are hooked up to the glass cylinder shaped tank. A monitor is set-up near the left side of the tank. I can tell from the clicks and sounds its making. Its indicating a heartbeat. Other machines are stacked up ontop each other. I sense a slight connection. But whatever was there before is now gone. I touch the glass and try to connect with my friend. Maybe for the last time?
While touching the glass. It feels cold. Just not cold to the touch. More like a dead freeze in the telekinetic sense. His heart might be pumping. But his lifeforce is not felt. Could my dreams have fooled me? Did I really make that connection with him in this quest to find the truth? A connection which has lead me to this place. I'm standing infront of the tank. I sadly gaze at my friend. Absorbing his face into my collective memory. I would like to bust my friend out of this glass prison. A glass encasement that he has called home since we've arrive here. In a way. We both went through a hectic time on this planet. Only difference. Is that I had some freedom to wonder the environment. While he was a prisoner of his own. Unable to understand the language these humans speak. He must have felt scared. Wondering if he thought I had abandon him? That I was never going to rescue him."I'm here friend. Were finally going home". I talk to him. But I know he can't hear me through this glass enclosure. Its an assurance for me. A familar face. One that hides underneath this false one. Hearing footsteps behind me. I peek down to notice Agent Foster up and alert again. I've cooperated long enough with these humans. I need some answers of my own. So I demand them."Did you know anything about what happen to my friend?" By Foster's age. I doubt he had knowledge of any events of that night. Or the others that followed. Agent Foster limps over to my side. Using my shoulders as support. He speaks."I wasn't even in the agency when they found him. At the time it was under different authority. Mostly the military in the beginning". I believe him. Even from the start. There were no lies in his eyes. Just like Hank. I trust this man. Almost with my life. So I ask the question. One that has haunted me since I got the premonition of the navigator's existence."Is he alive? Does he have any rational thought in that tank"? Agent Foster digs deep into what he knows. Thinking carefully of the right answer. He checks the equipment. Giving me the status of my friend."I'm not sure. His heartrate is normal. But brain activity shows zero response". I gander back at my friend. Trying to figure out the best solution. Take him back the way he is or shut-off his life support? I need more to satisfy my curiousity."Give me details.Tell me what you know". Foster steps toward a desk. Retrieves a clipboard."The data reveals he slipped into a coma several years ago. Only way to perserve his body was preserving him in cryro fluid". He flips through the clipboard."But states here. That the device wrapped around his wrist began to flicker on. Also he showed signs of activity. Like he was waking up from the coma". I realize now. It explains why I had receive the visions. How I retrieve the telekinetic connection from him. In his panic state. He tried to reach out to only one who could hear his cries. He reach out to me. A possibilty he must have sent out a signal to contact me. I turn to Agent Foster. To find out if the navigator was treated properly."How did he end up in the tank". Foster's expression is a face of disgust."Maybe the interrogation went a little rough? The methods Agent Green uses are a extreme. You know Agent Green was one of the commanding officers from the crash site. He has been addicted to this incident from the start". He closes the clipboard. He lets me know another piece of information. Probably not on record?"It was his idea to construct this facility and the agency. He had a feeling that a fourth passenger existed. Somehow escaped the wreckage". He begins to walk. Using his good leg to drag the bad one. This man should get medical attention. But he compromises further injury. Just to give more to the story."I think you ought to see something". He motions me to follow him. To the opposite side of the room. From where the navigator is being held. It turns out to be what exactly I need to leave this planet for good. What has taken years to find out. But took only days to reach.
Foster and me are now standing infront of a tall curtain. A curtain that circles something huge. Foster steps to the side. Where he pulls a rope. He keeps pulling until the curtains draw back fully. What a surprising sight to see. Its the command module. After all this time. Still it remains intact. Just the way I left it. I walk around the module. Sliding my hands over the exterior. It feels warm. A warming sensation that makes it feel alive. Over on the top. I see that there is an opening. This opening once had the escape hatch covering it. I climb the ladder leading to the inside of the ship's module."Is it alright if I enter". Agent Foster follows me up the ladder."Sure. Its yours anyway. But we have to hurry". I'm sure the diversion bought us some time. But Foster is right. I have to hurry. Once inside. Sensors flicker the lights on. I make my way to the front of the ship. A screen appears on the command console. I remember. This is my seat.