Episode VIII -- Interstellar Space
Premiered 20 March 2009
Multiple Choice -- Episode VIII
A small intensely brilliant light of minute spatial proportions drifted in interstellar space within a nebula-like assortment of explosive colors and sounds. As this particular Light Being traversed extraordinary distances, astounding astronomical objects slipped in and out of view, as if the unseen currents of space were providing the Light Being with a grand tour of its domain. A spectacular binary star system momentarily came into focus, providing the spectacle of a major conflagration between the two stars as they exchanged massive amounts of matter between them. The Light Being (aka David) closed in on the sight.
After just an awe-inspired beat, he added, “I wonder…”
The Light Being suddenly darted in between the two blazing suns, interrupting the stream of particles between them. The conflagration between the two stars abruptly eased. The Light Being hovered for a moment, glowing brightly. Its self satisfaction was not, however, readily apparent. But it did seem to be glowing brighter than before.
In a green, garden like area, on a planet to be temporarily and fashionably called Kajacekac – a planet orbiting about the Light Being’s distant binary system -- several humanoids were involved with various astronomical instruments intended to measure solar variables in daylight. Visible computer displays showed the ceasing of the binary star holocaust, a fact that caused immediate excitement among the humanoids. The excitement rapidly became a celebration by the humanoids as they delighted in their instrument readings, hugging and congratulating each other. The prophecies of antiquity were suddenly being fulfilled. It was time for one gargantuan party!
The Light Being was still floating between the two stars. With the reduced glare caused by the now diminished conflagration, a small, lush, green planet came into his view.
The Light Being mused, “Hmmmm… That looks inviting.”
The Light Being zoomed – as opposed to strolled, drifted, or taken the A-train -- toward the planet, entered its atmosphere in an astounding blaze of glory, and slowly dropped through a reddish-blue sky toward the garden in which the humanoid astronomers were still congratulating themselves on being alive at such a propitious time.
Not unexpectedly, the festivities took a decided quantum leap in sheer madness as the Light Being descended into the midst of the astronomers gone slightly amuck. The latter were joined by others of professions far beyond astronomy, just as the original tenants in the garden became aware of the Light Being transforming in a brilliant, but non-blinding, flash into David. This latter change caused a small diminution of the humanoids’ rejoicing, as if miracles are required to maintain certain high levels of the miraculous in order to be countenanced.
Still… priests and prophets have long practiced the art of rationalization, wherein they could explain and whisk away every conceivable anomaly or distraction from that which must be considered unchanging dogma, tradition, and what we’ve been teaching you for lo these many centuries. The particular rationalization that would be forthcoming was in fact a tried and true one. No one seemed to even momentarily doubt its efficacy.
With David incarnating among them, the humanoids followed the lead of the self-styled priests and threw themselves to the ground, prostrating before him. Without any hesitation… or a quick check of the holy scriptures… the humanoids began an adoration of the amazing apparition… who because of His immense love for his people had appeared in humanoid fashion and thus alleviated the inevitable blindness and insanity arising from gazing upon a god for longer than officially sanctioned. (See what I mean by rationalization?)
As still others arrived on the scene, they followed the lead of their compatriots and began adoration in extremis. It was actually quite colorful, albeit most of the activity by the humanoids was in the prone position – a position that occasionally has its own rewards. Keep in mind that nothing in the ancient prophecies discouraged sexual activity among a species whose fertility was comparatively reduced by an evolutionary trick.
David could only look around in total amazement. Clearly, he had not been informed… yet… of the marvelous possibilities afforded by the low fertility trait of the… increasingly attractive humanoids offering themselves to Him. David, however… wise in the ways of godhood (however inadvertently so)… fell back into character and said to the assembled group, “Nice place you’ve got here.”
There was some movement from the prostrated humanoids, but none appeared to dare rise or look upon the face of David… until he began to encourage them.
“You can get up now,” the great and powerful, all knowing, all seeing, all… so forth and so on… commanded.
Slowly, the humanoids tentatively began to rise, while at the same time keeping their heads bowed and their eyes averted. None of the humanoids appeared to have any idea of what to do next. David looked around, waiting for one of them to step forward. Then he smiled, and asked, "Got anything to eat?”
Ah, yes… the master elixir of all really great celebrations and adorations: lunch! And everyone knows that no one... including a god... wants to eat alone.
In an increasingly rapid sequence of events and activities, food, flowers and all manner of gifts began to appear and be laid before the Great God David. Simultaneously, David found himself atop an increasingly larger altar, one which seemed to rise beneath him, elevating him with a polished marble and jewel-encrusted golden throne, complete with lush purple coverings. Beautiful, gorgeous, well-endowed ladies in harem-like dresses arrived at his feet, looking love-starved for the Great God, and draping themselves at his feet. One notable beauty (looking suspiciously like one Miss Aris Holyn from Pentagon briefing days) wrapped a seductive arm about David’s leg in the same manner Katy and Evyr had done in David’s dream. David was decidedly taken by the woman, and leaned over toward her, a mischievous smile on his face.
“So… tell me: when do you get off work?”
Before his fondest desire could be realized, however, the recently elevated High Priest arrived with the sound of trumpets and a retinue of three other high level bureaucrats each sporting varying degrees of hierarchical preponderance. The High Priest had recently been a monk, and a pretty much ignored one at that. But the fulfillment of prophecy had worked its own special magic, with more than one monk reaping the windfall. Several appeared in fact to be issuing orders and commands to various members of the worshipping masses. Soldiers arrived behind the priests, some carrying banners of the One God David. The High Priest directly approached the throne.
“Oh, Great God, we humbly ask your blessing for our warriors in their future conquest of the Felacian heretics and unbelievers. For only with conquest can they be saved. Only with the sword, can we properly worship you.”
David suddenly lost his smile. Simultaneously, noises off to the right caused him to turn and see a temple under construction -- complete with slaves and men with whips to keep the work progressing in full accordance with the whims of religious hierarchical demands. Behind the temple, a cathedral had begun to manifest in spontaneous glory -- all to the honor, the glory, and the enduring legacy of the One God David. David turned back to find the women at his feet pushing and shoving in order to be the closest to him, taking special pains to shove aside the beauty David had earlier addressed. The High Priest then turned his back on David and faced the troops.
“Go with the blessings of the One God David.”
“Oh, no,” David winced. “Not another religion!”
The High Priest, soldiers, women and everyone else in hearing turned to look at David, each with varying degrees of surprise on their faces. Thus far, the Great God had been a well-behaved god, not saying anything of consequence and allowing his minions to do minion level works. Now… there was something of substance… and a highly disagreeable and inconvenient substance at that. This would not do. But their newly anointed god was faster than the forces of defrockation.
David shook his head, and in a brilliant flash of light, becomes the Light Being again. Like a shooting star, he streaked upwards, leaving the local adherents to his recently canonized religion standing in total awe. Then as his star disappeared into the sky, some of the priests and others begin clamoring to reach the throne, either for the throne itself or just to get closer to it. Their motivation was that the mantle must be passed. Nature abhors a vacuum… despite the fact that nature has created virtually everything from said vacuum.
The Light Being moved rapidly from one astronomical sight to another. It was a treat for the senses… whatever the Light Being’s senses currently were, or what might have been imagined for such a creative entity. Vaguely psychedelic, as in hallucinations of the drug-induced kind, the treats were nevertheless fascinating and entertaining. Not a lot of challenges or life-lived in a limited way… but for the moment… worth the trip.
Another planet -- one with rings and one looking vaguely like Saturn -- came into view and the Light Being maneuvered over a geographic pole. A regular polygon of vast proportions was clearly visible in the streaming colors streaking around the planet’s pole, as if inviting the stellar wayfarer. The Light Being descended toward the pole. Who was he to pass up such an invitation?
The Light Being dropped into the maelstrom, found that a golden spiral was the best route to reduce the buffeting about by the supra-hurricane winds, and then decided that going with the flow was not always the ideal.
With a small amount of fanfare, he extracted himself from the gas giant and looked about for other conquests. That’s when he saw the Yin/Yang appearance of Saturn’s most intriguing satellite. Now, there was a destination!
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