Forty Nine - Friend Fryd
Cobi beamed Biltar down in Penyat and he went looking for Fryd. Conditions at Penyat weren�t too bad and he was able to find several people who knew Fryd. None of them had seen him but told Biltar to check back after they�d done their own search.
Groups of them set out in different directions looking for someone who might know where Fryd was. Finally, he was located in a make-shift hospital. Biltar was flown there by lifterwhirl.
"Biltar! Biltar! Is that you?" Fryd was trying desperately to get out of bed but didn�t have the strength.
"Oh Fryd, I�m so glad you�re still alive," said Biltar, rushing to embrace him. "I have so much to tell you. Everythings going to be okay! The energy devices will be distributed! And we can work together when you are well!"
"I knew you�d find me," said Fryd, "even when I was in my coma, I dreamed of it. Biltar, you are the best thing I�ve seen since I came around. I�ll have to stay here awhile to recover but I�ll be ready to go."
"When I get the devices distributed, I�ll be back for you. Now, let�s catch up.�
Fryd looked grave. "I�ve got some bad news about Rysen."
"Oh no, what?"
"The NSP arrested him and his whole family. They tortured them to death, Biltar ... the whole family ... but Rysen never told them where the PSGs are."
"Oh no ...� Biltar was grieved. �I�m so glad that insane regime is done forever ... there�s such a big price to pay for freedom."
Fryd nodded sadly.
They talked for awhile remembering their friend and his lovely family. Fryd informed Biltar of Rysen�s harrowing escape after their meeting that night at the pub and the days that followed before he and his family were taken into custody by hard-core surviving elements of the NSP, after they had made it though the cataclysm.
"I found this out from a friend who has a short wave," said Fryd.
"What a story," said Biltar, "Rysen fought with all he had to the very end. I don�t even want to think about what he must have gone through. It makes me all the more determined to complete this ... and do it well. What happened to you?"
Fryd told of his own ordeal during and after the cataclysm. He had just been making planes to take his aging mother out of the city when an asteroid struck destroying everything. Fryd only remembered a huge explosion before he lost conciousness. When he came to, his poor mother was dead, buried beneath the fallen house. He couldn�t move and just laid there crushed under the heavy pile of rubble.
"I nearly died, Biltar. I kept going in and out of consciousness and had a near death experience. I found myself in some kind of long narrow tunnel with slimy walls. It was a dimly lit place and there was absolutely no sound. I looked down at myself but couldn�t see my body. I could feel the slimy texture of the walls around me but I couldn�t see my hands. I was completely at peace. Somehow, I made my way along the passageway, very slowly at first and then a little faster. The tunnel twisted and turned, sometimes going up and sometimes down. Up ahead there was a light. As I got closer and closer, the light seemed to be moving toward me faster than I was moving toward it. Then, the most marvelous thing happened."
"What was that?"
"All at once, I was swimming in the most beautiful light. Indescribable. Mother was smiling in front of me and I began to cry. She looked at me with the most beautiful, tender look I�ve ever seen. Then, she kissed me on the forehead. Right then, Biltar, I knew she was okay and I was okay. Suddenly, angels ... or some kind of ... beings were everywhere and soft music seemed to come out of nowhere. It was my music. I was ... playing it somehow ... with my emotions. The most incredible colors flowed with the music ... I ... I just can�t describe it. Then one of the beings spoke softly but firmly, 'you must return.' Oh, Biltar, that�s the last thing I wanted to do."
Fryd cried a little as Biltar smiled. "Oh, Fryd, it�s a fresh new start. More wonderful and powerful than we�ve ever hoped for or imagined."
Fryd was still remembering his vision. "'Go back,' the voice said again, 'you are not finished.' Then I remembered our purpose, Biltar, and what we�ve discovered and the gift we must give to Miraba and I found myself here in this makeshift hospital. I don�t even know how I got here and nobody has been able to tell me yet."
"Oh, Fryd, wait til you hear what�s been happening."
Then, Biltar told Fryd, as best he could, what he�d been experiencing. Fryd was amazed and awed. When he became tired and needed to rest, Biltar took his friend�s hand and placed it over his own heart. "You are here, Fryd, right along with Rysen. As horrible as all this has been, Miraba has come through. We are on our way to a new life unlike anything we ever imagined. My health has never been better, Fryd. I�ve never had so much hope. Rest now until I come for you ... and keep me in your thoughts and prayers."
Fryd smiled and nodded. "Every day."
Biltar left the make-shift hospital and Cobi beamed him back into the scout craft.
"We�ll have to come back again later to get Fryd," he said, "he�s still in pretty bad shape physically ... but he�s alive as never before."
"Okay," said Ana.
A while later, Cobi and Ana hovered the scout craft over the abandoned exchange center where the devices were stored inside the vault. With a heat ray, they vaporized the roof and beamed the devices up five at a time. The cargo hold of the scout craft was just large enough to hold all fifty PSGs.
"Let�s deliver these babies," said Ana.
"Where?" asked Edyn.
"Five places," said Cobishandra as she changed Ana�s bandage, "Shanveh, Mavira, Quepar, Tacu and Bectalyne."
"Will any of the other nations on Miraba feel left out?" asked Edyn.
"The nations of Miraba are no longer considered to exist," said Biltar, "they were political entities which were destroyed in the cataclysm for ever. Even though there are holdouts who have ambitions to reestablish the old way, the planet will now become a global village. This is inevitable."
Edyn nodded in approval. "Where do we go first?"
"Shanveh island across the western sea," replied Ana, "the geological changes are causing it to rise, so there�s no danger of it going under water."
"More capabilites still exist on Miraba than anyone would ever suspect," said Cobi, "all the communication satellites are gone, so several rockets are being launched from Shanveh to put new ones into orbit. Initially, these are to establish computer communications between the five centers where the PSGs will be delivered. Computers will also be put into the hands of those indigenous peoples who already have the PSGs, so they too will be part of the network and be able to proliferate the wisdom of their elders. These five centers will become hubs of commerce, rebuilding and the exchange of new ideas. The important thing is to get communication reestablished right away."
"Edyn," said Biltar, "Shanveh may be the place for our headquarters. Many of the inhabitants are forward thinking people who have been yearning for celestial contact for years. A few are already in telepathic and dream communication - but they don�t have much discernment nor understanding about their experiences. Now, they�ll get some answers. Shanveh still has a strong military but, thankfully, they have no heart for aggression. Best of all, that area has a functional space capability. They can launch communication satellites. Their industrial base is damaged but still intact - capable of restoration. Food production will resume with new and improved methods. They will be able to manufacture the PSGs and do reseach and development It might be the best place for us."
"You can decide that later," said Cobi, "when you see how things shape up."
"Yes," said Ana, "in the meantime, let�s get these PSGs to their proper places and get a feel for the whole situation."
"That�s a good idea," said Biltar.
Continue on to Chapter 50
PART 1
Introduction by the Author
Prologue
Ch.1-The Mission Ch.2-An Astral Roach Ch.3-The Conspiracy of Light Ch.4-The Kultaki
Ch.5-His Pestilency Ch.6-Brain Storm Ch.7-Feline Processing Ch.8-Red Alert
Ch.9-The Day of Days Ch.10-Empathic Agony Ch.11-Oldtime Melodrama Ch.12-Orange Flies
Ch.13-A Boots Assist Ch.14-Vision Delivery Ch.15-Sudden Capture Ch.16-Cat Torment
Ch.17-The Horror Ch.18-Cobi and Ana Ch.19-Playing Doctor Ch.20-Open to My Soul
Ch.21-Self Sufficient Monkey Ch.22-Total Destruction Ch.23-Alone in Space Ch.24-New Plans
Ch.25-Prepare for Contact Ch.26-Dhati Knows Best Ch.27-Healing and Peace
