On the second day a small caldera erupted in the eastern province. Darkness covered our planet as the ash cloud spread across the atmosphere, the poor air quality causing severe breathing problems among our youngest children as well as the elderly.

By the morning of the third day a new vote was taken among the tribes. It was decided that my option would take precedence over the scalar weapons, granting me one day after the drones’ impact to make contact with a being from our future. If I failed to receive instructions regarding a zero-point energy system, then Berudim would be destroyed.

Midday arrived with a worsening darkness, and seventy-two rockets launched from antiquated launch silos. Each drone carried a sphere-shaped titanium probe filled with containers of chemicals that represented the primordial building blocks of Charonian life.

Two rockets exploded in the clogged atmosphere. A third struck a Council ship orbiting Charon and was destroyed.

Two more vessels veered off course.

Six days later the remaining sixty-seven rockets jettisoned their payloads into the Berudim atmosphere and abruptly disappeared off our sensory screens.

Zaphenath Paneah escorted me across the paved crater floor to a vessel so immense that it rivaled the Council Assembly Hall. Saucer-shaped with a triangular mast, this particular ship had been assigned to my tribe, assuming I could turn the useless disk of polished metal into an anti-gravitational device able to travel the cosmos beyond the speed of light.

The rebel leader prompted an entrance that led into the bowels of the ship. “The central chamber is located directly over the propulsion system. It has been prepared as you requested. We’ve cleared the crater of all personnel; it’s just your thoughts and whoever or whatever is listening. Good luck, Avi Socha.”

I nodded and entered the transport.

The chamber was circular, located just above the ship’s gravitational well and massive electrogravitic generator rings. Surrounded by darkness, I situated myself before the glow of a crimson candle. Closing my eyes, I began reciting the forty-two-word mantra that dated back to the time of creation, its energy helping me to access the universal consciousness.

“ANA BEKOACH… GEDULAT YEMINECHA… TATIR ZERURA … ”

In my mind’s eye my consciousness was moving through the void, passing over a dark sea.

“KABEL RINAT… AMECHA SAGVENU… TAHARENU NORA … ”

The sea moved inland, becoming a twisting river that separated a rift valley.

“NA GIBOR… DORSHEY YICHUDCHA… KEBAVAT SHOMREM … ”

Snow-covered mountains rose along either bank as the river emptied into a vast lake, its waters dark and forboding.

“BARCHEM TEHAREM… RACHAMEY ZIDEKATCHA… TAMID GOMLEM … ”

Looking down, I saw immense water creatures moving just below the surface, their backs sprouting streams of vaporized air.

“HASIN KADOSH… BEROV TUVECHA… NAHEL ADOTECHA … ”

Sensing intelligence, my consciousness followed these immense creatures inland to a bay. Lying in the water was a transport ship identical to the saucer in which my physicality remained back on Charon.

“YAHID GE’EA… LEAMECHA PENNE… ZOCHREY KDUSHATECHA … ”