MILDRATAWA

  COLONIES OF EARTH

  Nigel Clayton

  IMPRINT PAGE

  Published in Australia by

  Meni Publishing and Binding in 2006

  meni.com.au

  Copyright © Nigel Clayton t/as Meni Publishing and Binding, 2005

  Nigel Clayton asserts the moral right to be identified as the author and owner of this book.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise; nor shall it be resold, hired out or otherwise circulated, without the prior permission of the copyright owner of this book.

  The National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication data:

  Photo/cover by courtesy NASA Ames Research Centre

  Spielberg, Henry. [pseudonym]

  Colonies of Earth, 1st ed.

  ISBN 978 0 9802985 1 2.

  1. Space colonies - Fiction. 2. Space travelers - Fiction.

  I. Title.

  A823.4

  OTHER TITLES BY THIS AUTHOR

  The Long Road to Rwanda

  Fall of the Inca Empire

  Inca Myths and Way of Life

  The Templar: and the City of God [Part 1 in the series]

  The Templar: and the Temple of Káros [Part 2]

  The Templar: and the Cross of Christ [Part 3]

  Amazon [Part 4 of the Templar series]

  Underworld

  Spacescape

  Space Opera – Heaven and Hell

  Tom of Twofold Bay

  The Zuytdorp Survivors

  Afghan

  Afghan: The Script

  Chivalry

  The Caves of Hiroshima

  Scourge

  The Cure

  Furious George

  This Pestilence, Bergen-Belsen

  Templar, Assassination, Trial & Torture

  Underworld

  Dreamtime - An Aboriginal Odyssey

  When the Virgin Falls

  Kibeho: Original Script

  The Kibeho Massacre: As It Happened

  Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien - No, I (We) Have No Regrets

  The Matter with Karen Mitchell

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Nigel joined the Australian Army in 1980 at age 17yrs and 2 months, and after completing training at Kapooka was whisked away to the School of Infantry, Singleton, New South Wales, Australia.

  He served in the Infantry until injury forced a medical discharge upon him in 1996, after having served in Southeast Asia, 1982; PNG (with the AATPT), in 1990: during the Bougainville Crisis; and in Rwanda, 1995: known world-wide for the Kibeho Massacre which occurred on April 22nd of that year.

  Serving in PNG was a major highlight within his career.

  He was married in 1999 and has two children.

  PRE-ARMAGEDDON DICTIONARY TERMS, WRITTEN IN BRIEF:

  Alliance planetary. 1. A permanently placed visa within a society of planets. 2. Free movement between two or more planets of the same or different quadrants, for the purpose of trade, business, and call of a political nature. 3. The first alliance ever formed was that between the first planets colonised by Earth: Earth, Zirclon, Glaucuna, and Erulstina. 4. The alliance between planets Vudd and Negabba.

  Galactic tongue. 1. The compulsory understanding of the language spoken by more than three-quarters of the world. 2. An understanding of the English language. 3. A prerequisite for space-flight or QEM migration. 4. The main language spoken on all planets of the galaxy as understood by the Mildratawa.

  Nuclei fuel. 1. Developed pulse-core energy. 2. The acquired energy of specifically screened quark and quantum electromagnetic materials, atomic particles, wavelengths, and synthesised nuclei.

  Parsec mutation. 1. The uncontrolled heredity of interplanetary bacteria. 2. Other world sickness. 3. The involuntary changing of the Homo sapien form due to QEM. 4. An extremely rapid change in genetic form. 5. Mutation brought on by APAC ‘Alien Planet Atmospheric Conditioning’. 6. A combination of one or more of the aforementioned explanations.

  QEM. 1. Quark Electromagnetic Movement; movement derived from the reaction between nuclei fuel and a thermophone. 2. To move from the outer edge of one solar system to the next, and for all practical purposes, deemed to be one of instantaneous flight; see: QEM-time. 3. To move within a system of planets at speeds calculated on the parsec graduated light speed table; to move at any speed between that of the light barrier and QEM 4. To move at parsec; any speed obtained on the graduated light speed table. 5. To QEM the distance; to move instantaneously - see: QEM-time. 6. The theoretical displacement of projected sight and sound: a. To ‘quem’ the thought; to project ones brain waves across space via use of QEM-gate and telepathic thought; b. To hear the ‘quem’; be able to read and decipher any purposely or otherwise projected thought via QEM-gate.

  QEM-force. A force of 10,000 police responsible for the control – and prevention – of unsolicited migration, in regards to the Earth populace.

  QEM-gate. 1. A permanently laid path between two or more solar systems; a doorway which ceases to close; two parallel paths of different direction. 2. The flight via two or more such gates; he employed QEM-gate Echo 1-Zulu 1.

  QEM-gate fork. The junction clip of more than one QEM-gate found between solar systems of different Quadrants where temporary loss of movement is experienced due to: a, change in direction; and, b, security measures passed by the Quadrant being entered.

  QEM migration. 1. The migration of the first 6,000,000 Homo sapiens to other worlds. 2. The second migration of 3,500,000 Africans. 3. The third migration of 78,000,000 Chinese. 4. The illegal immigration of untold millions, many of unknown origin.

  QEM-time. 1. The time of flight through QEM-gate as opposed to real time, the freezing of time: The flight through QEM-gate took 7.35hrs, though flight in real time was instantaneous.

  Post Armageddon dictionary terms, written in brief:

  Parsec Pause. 1. The 300 year confinement of species. 2. The sanction that prevent interstellar migration. 3. The containment of movement to ones own solar system. 4. Space travel law, article 4,033.02; ordered due to Parsec mutation.

  QEM migration (Additional). 5. The migration of any species from one world to another after control of Parsec mutation; limited and controlled by law.

  CHAPTER ONE

  PLANET EARTH.

  BANGLADESH.

  The Tibetan monk sat motionless and erect. To anyone watching he would have been deemed to be in complete accord with his surrounds, seemingly at peace with nature itself, an atmosphere of natural bliss enveloping him that very minute – the feelings, the aspirations; at commune with nature’s bounty of varying fruits; all structure, all stems of life, and all the ways of the world did appear to be in this monks very palms. A great anticipation for what lay ahead on this most wondrous of days was building up, on a foundation of love, the foundation of which he’d come to know and cherish over the years as a friend and domineering factor within his very existence; it was a love with no borders, unlimited, unconditional. The monk’s very existence was fuelled by his need for meditation, a practice that had commenced many years before and had become a natural escape from his everyday torments. Even before this monk had begun with his very first lessons on life, in the many small and overcrowded classrooms of a boarding school – the dreary slums of Calcutta – his mind had become infested with the idea of a universal peace, the slaying of suffering, the undoing of Man’s intention to destroy him and the world he lived in. Even before this man dressed in rags could walk, when only a baby, he was seen by his loving guardian to be pointing upwards at a silvery star in the heavens above and say… “Mama”. The tears that fell from the eyes of the woman who breast-
fed him, could not restrain themselves for love of religion, and such a loving smile on one so young, on such a beautiful young male face, in particular, from one so small: a runt – such a wonderful miracle it seemed to be and might never be seen again. Even from such an early age the monk did prosper from what would appear to be nothing more than simple gestures, and the woman would tie away her breasts and talk freely of the babies actions. Gifted he must be, as though taught within the womb of his forgotten mother. Even the Buddha himself would have been proud to lay eyes on the gifted birth, of one so seemingly talented, and yet still so young and pure. And the years flew by.

  So here he sat; the Bay of Bengal, the inlets around Dacca, Narayanganj and its marvellous display of rock formations, each formation hugging the border between land and sea, like the love in ones heart holds to anticipation. Here the waves crashed delicately, leaving behind them many a hue of seaweed as the waves of ankle deep water ebbed back into the world known unto the fish, crustaceans, and other mammals so seldom seen by the uncaring human eye. To look even closer and one would see the air bubbles left by the surf, each popping into insignificance as if swallowed up by the silky sands trapped amongst the rocky crops, like outposts in a forgotten land of gently undulating pastures of silt and shell. It was quite amazing what one could see, if such was looked upon with an open mind, no trained eye required, just a patient temperament and loving soul; having an unselfish bond with life itself, being unadorned by the comforts of life which so often spoiled all capacity of Man to treat his surrounds as they should be – with the ‘dying’ respect that they deserved.

  His mind lay in perfect harmony with the life that flourished around him; in this, one of the last retreats which spite human ignorance. The seals were resting, their fur drying in the cool breeze that blew in from the West, and the seagulls glided aimlessly above the water’s edge, enjoying the first of the morning’s golden rays of sunlight, searching frantically for a morsal to tie down their hunger. Here and there, the white bird could be seen pecking wildly at the scallops and mussels that clamped themselves for dear life upon the rocks of small lagoons. Here too, amongst the glittering waters of the pool’s surfaces, fish swam without a care; here they dashed, in and out of rock crevices, the facing of which were cratered in ruffles, both concave and convex, in likeness to that of the mountainous features found on the darkside of Basbi Triad: the fourth closest planet to Earth.

  A crab stepped aside with claws held high to protect from an approaching seagull as it swooped down from its high approach; it missed. The gull let out an angry cry at the escaping prey. The crab turned to eye the seagull in passing flight, the blurry white flurry of its passing becoming unfocussed, and then diffusing before disappearing from view. Finally letting down his guard the crab scurried off to his nearby retreat and home in the sand, beneath that of a black rock which was covered in craters both small and large.

  Yes, the monk saw all in his meditation, the depth attained, not seen or heard of by his Brothers of the Cloth for many thousands of years. He sat with legs crossed. His eyes were wide open but his mind was at rest and in deep thought. He was surely at one with his surroundings and the surroundings at one with him.

  Dolphins swam playfully not far offshore from the steady breaking of waves, showing themselves briefly to the world above as they sucked in more of the wonderfully tasting oxygen, sparkling sustenance which drift free of smog and other pollutants. They were greeting in the morning as the colours of the rising sun sparkled in the magnificence of another day born, rising above the silhouette of a mountain peak, seen from across the Lakhya River. Now, breaking off their playful assaults upon one another, the dolphins turned back into the little wave that exist from afar, and the waves in turn continued to roll and break themselves upon the solid rock formations of the inlets around, to foam, bubble and die, drawn into the sand that stretched the length of the beach speckled with rock and microscopic life.

  Meditating even deeper now the monk communicated with these, the most majestic of sea mammals, and the dolphins – by virtue of pleasant surprise – communicated with him. He realised now that they were finally at peace in the oceans of the world. The hunting of their species had come to an abrupt end in the latter part of the Twenty-first Century, be it accidental or not; it was now the year 2393 AD.

  The monk thought to himself: ‘How did it take me so long to learn of this magnificent way in meditation? These beautiful creatures of the sea whom hold so many secrets to life and existence; how did I manage to survive for so long without this knowledge?’ A strong will was the only answer.

  He was then reminded of something else; he thought of the Tibetan Scroll Master whose figure scribed itself with purposeful depth upon his mind. ‘He wishes me back. Not yet,’ for this monk was away from his place of worship and without the permission granted by a higher authority; and only one such authority existed. But such thoughts were soon discarded as he returned to the dolphins’ thoughts, sharing in their playful behaviour, sensing their living excitement and love for one another, accepting their grievances, pains, and upsets – though little there were of such negative thoughts.

  And the communication with such splendid creatures continued and the time passed quickly, for in meditation there is no concept of time and time is unimportant. Time could not be contemplated in any form if the suffering of mankind was to be suffocated, but ironically enough, only time would be the bearer of fruit if such eradication of the self-imposed tortures, as those bore upon the shoulders of humankind, could be starved from the realities of life.

  The day had now grown very old and the monk had not moved. No cramp hindered him. No thought of discomfort or selfishness arose, only the thoughts of pleasure and happiness, thoughts for all of his friends and the community at large, all of nature; this is what exist within his body, soul, and mind. Even the nearby Showra tree blossomed and gave its scent freely to the monk as it wafted pleasantly on the breeze, a scent which would have been wasted on any other mortal. The monk understood full well that the scent was a gift from the makeup of space and time, of the era known as the ‘big bang’. He knew full well that all in life existed because of the continuance created by the birth of the universe as a whole – nothing was singular, all was of the same origin.

  But finally this monk, of his many years of working meditation and experience, came out of his trance-state: ‘My work has only begun. I have so many years to look forward to.’

  Slowly but surely another monk approached from behind. His movement was deliberate and slow so as not to disturb his own walking meditation. His breath was steady, as too was his heartbeat. His head was hung as though in a bow. He brought himself to a soundless stop, feet together, just to the rear of his deeply meditating Brother of the Cloth, and he removed his head garment. The hood fell to rest in place behind his thin neck, revealing his shapely baldhead. He placed his palms together as if in prayer but held them low in front of his solar plexus, elbows bent, wrists held against his body. He was not the first to speak.

  “Brother Matthew.” The meditating monk remained calm and maintained constant vigil upon his friends of the sea. “You are early this time. I wasn’t expecting you for another two whole day.” His voice barely rose over that created by the frolicking wind and squawking gulls.

  “I greet you good afternoon, Brother Anthony; but I’m afraid that the Scroll Master is quite upset with your constant disappearing and wanderings into the vastness of this world, as small as it is. This is the third time in ten years that you have trekked these many miles to Dacca and beyond. He doesn’t understand why you insist on contacting the dolphins, especially when we are so near the end of deciphering the Great Scrolls of Prehistory. All life on the planet, not just the dolphins, will be advantaged by our life’s work.”

  “I don’t like to correct another Brother of the Cloth, Brother Matthew, but I shall insist that I’m not simply contacting the dolphins, but communicating with their very being.”

&nb
sp; “Please; forgive me.”

  “No brother, please forgive me. Not for what I have said, but for that which I am about to say.” He slowly stood and turned to face the messenger. Eye contact was made, the smile on Anthony’s face was so serene, as to make all those that met him think wondrously of life itself; one look into Anthony’s eyes always gave way to a cascade of inner peace. “These dolphins are prehistory.” Anthony brought his arms up to his side in gesture of an invitation. Brother Matthew’s expression was lax, his composure unchanged. “They are everything; they are the Scrolls,” and his eyes told no lies.

  Brother Matthew’s eyes now grew wide, and on realising his show of emotion, returned them to their peaceful selves – mind over matter, self-control and the perfect management of the human body. “The Scroll Master has foreseen your contempt and he wishes you back at once. I’m afraid to say that you’re not to return again until the Scrolls have been completely deciphered and understood; and please brother, refrain from telling the Scroll Master what you have just revealed to me. He may not understand as I do.”

  “But, Brother Matthew, not even you can appreciate the heights of understanding to which I‘ve attained over the years.” He stopped himself from proceeding any further. “Forgive me. Shall we go?”

  “Yes; at once.” They turned to commence their stroll into Narayanganj.

  “How was your journey?” asked Anthony.

  “Long and hard. I’ve been travelling for three months now.”

  “We’ll rest in Dacca, just for a few nights, brother. I am sure that the Scroll Master will permit us that one luxury.”