Ashlyn Chronicles 1: 2287 A.D. (44 page)

“Perhaps it would be best, if I showed you.”
The walls of the room sprang vividly to life, surrounding them in scenic beauty.
“Does this place look familiar to you?”

“It’s Eden,” said Ash.

“It is, but it is not. You see, this place is not on the world below us. The Eden that you know is merely a small representation, a likeness of that which you see before you. What you see here, is on the planet, Heaven. This is the Anunnaki home world.

“They hold out to you, the offer to live with them!”

“On the world that you’re showing us?” asked Steven.

“Yes, but this is only one of the worlds they inhabit. They travel amongst the stars to distant places, to see sights and wonders your human mind has never conceived.

“The Gift of Knowledge that you and Ashlyn possess is designed to be a doorway, allowing you to enter into the heart of other cultures. You will be able to interact with other species as though you were truly one of them.

“The marvels are too many to mention, but you will have eternity with which to explore them. The universe will be yours.”

“It’s beautiful, Steven. The children will love it!”

For the first time, they saw the full value of the Gifts. The gift truly was knowledge. And in knowledge lay the future for an immortal.

“Keeper, yes, we would like to go, but first, I must be assured that our children will be permitted to accompany us, even though they have not received the Gift of Knowledge.”

“They are your children, so yes; your four children will be permitted. Once we reach Heaven, the Anunnaki will help your children to receive the second gift.”

“We only have three children, Keeper,” said Steven.

“Excuse me, Lord Steven—but Ashlyn is with child!”

“I’m pregnant?” said Ash excitedly.

“Yes, you carry a male child!”

“I’m carrying our son, Steven!” Ashlyn threw her arms around Steven’s neck in a tight embrace, but almost as quickly, she turned and asked, “Keeper, how old is the child?”

“Three hours, twelve minutes, forty three seconds.”

Steven, he’s my child, the me that I am now! He’s—
our
child.” Tears filled Ashlyn’s eyes as she held Steven’s hand tightly in hers.

Steven understood her excitement. The child had been conceived after Ashlyn melded with Renee. The child was borne from the love of the three of them. “Yes, he is our child.”

“And as your child, he too will be born with all of the Gifts. Your other children will be helped to receive the Gift of Knowledge once we arrive at Heaven.”

“Thank you,” said Steven and Ashlyn together.

“If you are ready, my children. You must now travel to the second moon; a ship, the Destiny, awaits you there. It, I, will take you to Heaven. You need do nothing. Along the way you’ll see wondrous things that others have only dreamed of.”

“The Destiny. It’s a beautiful name,” said Ashlyn to The Keeper.

“I thought the name—appropriate—based upon my knowledge of the two of you.”

“It is Keeper, it is!” said Ash.

“Destiny is being prepared as we speak. All your needs for food and clothing are being attended to.”

“Why, Keeper, I didn’t know you knew my size?” Ash quipped.

“I did find the thin necklaces a—challenge,”
The Keeper jested.
“I had seen they were your choice of clothing when I searched your mind in the Garden.”

***

A pillar of light led them to a large crater on the second moon. Landing beside it, they exited to the ground outside.

“You must simply wait, my children.”

Ash noticed it first. “Do you hear it? There’s a hum.”

The ground rumbled beneath their feet.

Steven touched Ashlyn’s arm, garnering her attention. He pointed toward the high peaks that formed the crater’s rim. They were transforming into the tips of a large vessel’s fins. The transformation descended, revealing large pointed arrays. The sweeping wave enlarged, moving at a quickening pace toward them. As they spun around, taking in the vastness of the appearing ship, the ground beneath them dissolved, engulfing them in a white brilliance.

Destiny was shaped like an ultra-sleek tri-hull wedge. Huge pointed arrays were mounted at the base of her wings and close to the hull. Sitting atop her hull to the aft was what appeared to be an enclosed observation deck, entirely transparent. She was as graceful and sleek a vessel as any their imagination could have conceived. Brightly lit from bow to stern, her white hull glistened like snow.

The platform lowered them into an impressively large bay that would have held a hundred Dolphin transports without being crowded. Overhead, the bay began to seal.
Molecular manipulation,
said Steven.
Probably not a lot different from our ability to shapeshift.

“Now this is impressive!” said Ashlyn.

“This way, my friends.”

At the far end of the room, a wall dissolved, revealing an arched doorway. The light beyond invited them. They were led to the aft of the ship, to the lounge-style observation deck that they had seen from the outside. The surround style view was breathtaking. It was like standing in space itself.

They stood in silent awe as Destiny rose from the ground and headed into space.

“Keeper, we should inform Defender that we’re a friendly vessel. Tell them that Ashlyn and I are aboard.”

“I have already done so, Lord Steven.”

Two minutes later, they were gliding through Hades’ atmosphere.

Slowly, to not scare the people below, Destiny set down in the desert, far outside the wall surrounding the pyramid. The crowds spilled out from the city, gathering. A small chime resounded, and then suddenly the entire lounge area was lowered to the ground below.

As the crowd arrived, and they again beheld Steven, the chant began, “Enki.”

Steven now understood how easily it had happened on Earth, so long ago. Early man had worshipped the Anunnaki as gods who had arrived in ships from the sky.

Ashlyn let Steven know that she was going to take a shuttle to retrieve the children. Meanwhile, Steven needed to prepare Brooks for his departure.

Brooks came walking up and beside him was Novacek.

“Gordon!” Steven gave him a big, big hug. “You’re alive?”

“I certainly hope so!” he said, returning the hug. “The crew is fine too. Stratton is aboard Defender, making sure the injured are all being taken care of. We lost fourteen people, but as they say, you should see the other guy. Enlil lost thousands. I kept expecting more from him, but he was kind of a dumb-bunny really. Didn’t have a lick of strategy.”

“When Ashlyn said the mountain had been destroyed, I’d thought the worst.” Steven shook his head. “I can’t believe you’re really here!”

“We did all right,” affirmed Novacek. “You would have been proud of the crew. They fought hard.”

“I am proud. Of them and you!” said Steven.

“So—it looks like you’re rather popular round here,” said Novacek looking around at all the wide-eyed people that were staring at Steven. “They seem to think you’re the messiah.”

“Well let’s not promote those ideas any further. If they depend on someone else to solve their problems, they’ll never learn how to solve them for themselves.”

“Maybe, sir. But perhaps a little faith isn’t so bad. Considering all that we’ve overcome, don’t you feel like maybe—things worked out just the way they were supposed to?” said Novacek.

“I guess you would know,” said Steven, his look conveying far more than his words. “My brother.”

Novacek nodded warmly.

“Am I missing something here?” said Brooks.

Steven smiled. “When you get the chance, tell him everything, Gordon. We’re all family.”

Steven turned to Brooks. “Share the Gift with Gordon, Stratton, and then give it to the rest of our crew. There’s also a man here, Erich Guerling. Goes by the name of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.” Seeing their look he continued, “Don’t ask. Give it to him and his family. He’s earned it. After them—it’s all up to you. Some of them might be a little rough around the edges, so be careful.”

“I remember Erich Guerling. He’s here?” said Brooks.

“Yup, ask around. They have an underground city beneath the Citadel. You’ll find him there. Though, I’d wager he’ll find you first. They were living underneath Enlil’s nose the whole time.”

“We also found an underground city. The river’s diverging path to the right led to it,” responded Novacek. “We only came out of hiding once we got news about Defender’s arrival. The news of Enki’s fleet traveled fast. Oh, by the way.” He reached into his shirt’s breast pocket. “I have Ashlyn’s locket—can you give it to her for me? Believe it or not, Enlil gave it to me.”

“Wow. I hadn’t expected that,” said Steven. “She’ll be happy to have it back.”

“And—do you want to know what happens next?” added Novacek.

Steven cocked his head, contemplating his words. “It—it—it was you, Gordon? You gave Renee the vision. I couldn’t figure it out.”

He nodded. “I’m sorry if it caused you trouble.”

“That’s a hard question to answer. I don’t know, maybe it’s like you said—things worked out the way they were supposed to.

“And no, I don’t want to know what you see in the future. If you say one word, I’m going to slap you up-side the head like a red-headed alien!”

Novacek smiled. “Ok, but don’t say I didn’t try to warn you, brother.”

“Do you know where you’re going?” asked Brooks of Steven.

“I’ll tell you after he leaves,” offered Novacek with a knowing grin. “Let’s just say, he’s going to have his hands full!”

“Keep your eye on him, Brooks, he’s too clever for his own good!” said Steven with a laugh. “And, Gordon—you’re right—I will have my hands full, both of them! I knew that before you did, ha.”

“You’re a lucky bastard!” said Gordon.

“Yes—I am,” replied Steven, who then informed Gordon and Brooks that while Ashlyn was off retrieving the children that he was going to make a quick trip back into Enlil’s throne room, beneath the pyramid. He told them of the underground fortress and that he wanted to retrieve the Sword of truth.

***

As Steven entered the underground chamber, he hastily made his way through the maze and into the weapons vault he’d seen when he was on his search for Phillip.

He’d paid little attention to the statue the first time he had seen it, but now—thinking back, he realized that the statue was of an Anunnaki, holding a sword. The sword stood upright, its point, touching the base of the pedestal.

Now, standing before the statue, he translated the Sumerian words, “The Sword of Truth.”

Removing the sword, he held it up with pride, wielding it. He had found his prize. He would return it to the Anunnaki home world, to Enki—to its rightful owners.

***

Within hours, all the goodbyes behind them, and back aboard Destiny, The Keeper took them to the third moon, which concealed a cloaked Stargate that would start them on the journey to the Anunnaki home world of Heaven.

***

Shortly after Destiny made the jump through the Stargate, Steven decided to unpack the items he had brought with him from Avenger. When Ashlyn entered the room and saw the picture of Renee standing at the railing of the Eiffel tower—with a tight hug, she showed him how much she cherished his having saved something so important to her.

Three hours later, the kids fast asleep in their quarters, the Destiny altered her course so that The Keeper could show Steven and Ashlyn the Meridian nebula. He’d said it was one of the great sights to be seen, a microcosm of the universe, a place where stars were born. Before them lay billions of years of history. Its depth of inspiration and beauty was beyond compare.

“I wish Novacek and the others could see this,” said Ashlyn. “It’s so beautiful.”

Steven’s thoughts drifted back to the planet, to what he had left behind. He ran the numbers. “We left four hours ago, but for them—because of the time dilation, it’s been four days.”

She leaned against the bulkhead and cuddled deep in Steven’s arms. “I have everything I ever wanted aboard this ship. My world, our world, is here and now”–Ashlyn caressed her tummy and Steven’s son to be—“and tomorrow.”

Having Ashlyn so close to him, Steven’s passions blazed. His hands wandered across her tummy up to her breasts, his spread fingers grittily clenching them, digging deep creases.

“Anxious are we?” She felt his heavily engorged, throbbing shaft pressing against her buttocks.

“You have no idea how badly I want you right now!” answered Steven. “No idea at all.”

Steven grabbed the collar of Ashlyn’s blouse. Pulling hard, he ripped it open. The popping buttons flew in all directions. His fingers traced her outline, running around the curves of her quivering breasts. He slid lower, his fingers feeling the tremble of her stomach muscles tightening in response to his touch. He grasped the snap of her jeans.

“Easy there. We’ve got all the time in the world.” Staying his hands, Ashlyn turned around, and slipping out of the torn blouse, she tossed it into a corner.

Turning her, so that her back was against the wall, Steven pressed himself hard into her. Embracing, they kissed ferociously, Steven’s heated breath upon her neck, inflamed her. Ashlyn ripped his clothes from him.

Steven unsnapped the button on her jeans, sliding the zipper downward. His hand slipped inside between her legs. His fingers went deep into the crevice in her panties, touching her through the silk. He could feel her, her moisture beginning to soak through the thin material.

As the star filled heavens behind them bowed in obeisance, Ashlyn forcefully spun Steven around, putting his back to the wall. “And you have no idea how badly I want you right now!” She looked at his erection. “No idea at all.”

To Steven’s panting breaths, she slowly kissed her way down his chest.

“Ouch. You bit me,” said Steven looking down at her.

“Just reminding you who’s really in charge—Lord Steven,” said Ashlyn.

They now had all that they had been wanting for
so
long.

They had a tall ship beneath their feet. The wind was at their back, and they were having their deepest fantasies fulfilled.