Chapter 15 - Visitor from Earth
Early one morning, five weeks after they had first taken their place in the Large lyceum, Tymos and Kryslie awoke to a low buzzing from their monitors. The green light was flashing, summoning them to the Conference Room. They dressed swiftly in the one piece suits they had come to prefer and with the empathic awareness they shared, they transmitted to their destination to arrive within moments of each other.
They bowed to their father and Governor Xyron and walked to stand beside Tymorous. He faced two men, one seated, one standing. Both of the men wore clothing of a style that seemed unusual. A whisper from Tymoros in an unfamiliar dialect enabled them to recognize the visitors.
“Hello, Dad,” Tymos said quietly, moving to the seated man. Kryslie went over to him, crouched by the chair arm and hugged him tightly.
“I’ve missed you both,” Dan Ward said. “And I am glad to see you looking so well.”
“We are fine, Dad, really. And we are over what was making us obnoxious,” Kryslie assured him.
“But we probably won’t be going back for a while,” Tymos told his natural father, gently.
“I know. Vincent and Tony Howard explained things to me and they have offered me a chance to be more than just a science teacher. They’ll be able to keep me advised of your progress and I am to learn so many new things.”
Finally, Tymos recalled that others were present. “Have you met our Foster Father yet?”
“I have only just arrived,” Dan admitted. “And I am still muddled from the trip.”
Tymos used a mixture of English and the main Tymorean dialect to introduce Dan Ward to his foster father.
“Welcome Daniel,” Tymoros said graciously in English. “It is truly a pleasure to meet you. I know that the mother of your wife was my cousin.”
“Thank you. I have to admit I was astounded to learn that I had kinfolk here,” Dan Ward said, and then he paused. “I also wanted to meet you. It seems that I must relinquish my children to you.” His voice shook slightly and his eyes glistened with moisture.
That the subject was an emotional one to the visitor was apparent, even before Tony Howard translated the words into Tymorean.
“Tonos, please tell Daniel that they will always be his children as well as mine. I have not the words in his language to express my deep gratitude.”
Tony Howard translated the High King’s words and added a few extra sentences of explanation.
“Dan, your children are genetically closer to him than they are to you. Not even the Elders understand why it is so, but you must believe how deeply grateful he is to have two living heirs.”
Dan bowed his head in understanding.
“Ty, my brother and I are ready to discuss our plans for the Earth Mission with Daniel,” Xyron took control of the gathering. “Tonos, we will need you as well.”
Tymoros turned to leave, noticed Tymos and Kryslie glanced from him to their Earth father as if wondering whether to follow him or stay with Daniel. “Go with Xyron,” Tymoros told them curtly. “Daniel needs you more for now.”
Dan Ward was grateful for the presence of his children crowding beside him and for their arms around him. He was still recovering from the disorientation of the long-range transmission from Earth. The shorter local transmission simply added to his feeling of vertigo. However, he had to assume it was quicker than walking.
The laboratories under Xyron’s control were as extensive as they were diverse. They occupied one whole level of his palace, and another two levels below the ground floor. Tymos and Kryslie were only familiar with a section of the medical laboratory; the part set up for sensitive medical monitoring. They followed Daniel on his tour of the facilities in wide-eyed silence.
The tour ended in Xyron’s private laboratory. He had a corner partitioned off with some comfortable chairs, a low table and a computer terminal. Vincent went immediately to this and began a program.
A holographic screen appeared and Xyron who had remained standing began to speak. Tymos and Kryslie were sitting on the arms of Daniel’s chair each with an arm around him; they said nothing but listened avidly. Tony Howard was seated close enough to be able to translate Xyron’s words into English.
“Daniel, I am pleased you have decided to join us. As a native of Earth, you are in a position to be of vital help to us. You may not fully comprehend the power your children have inherited or appreciate its full extent, but the Elders of this world have foretold that they will have a mission to fulfil on Earth. For that reason, we are preparing to initiate a full base with support staff. You, as my assistant, will be the planetary coordinator of the mission and responsible for the collection and collation of data received from all the missionaries all over the planet. You must also ensure that the data is available to your children.”
Xyron went into detail of his plans for the Tymorean mission mentioning the important tasks that each of the current missionaries were performing, stressing the need for absolute secrecy. The dissertation lasted for most of the morning and was presented in clear precise phrases.
Daniel was amazed that one mind could store and recall so much information and detail.
After a break for refreshments, Tony Howard and Vincent took Daniel off for his first lesson in the Tymorean advanced sciences.
Tymos and Kryslie remained perched on the armchair, as Xyron had not indicated that they were to participate further.
“Professor, can you tell us where will the base be located?” Tymos asked still considering what he had just learnt.
Xyron didn’t answer immediately, he tidied up some data records before saying, “The exact location has not been decided,” he said mildly, as he looked intently at them. Kryslie found she had no interest in pursuing questions about the morning’s lecture even though it gave her so much new information to assimilate. Tymos sensed the will of Xyron directed at him. It occurred to him that the gift of telepathy that he and his sister shared was present in the Governors, albeit in a different form. He wanted to explore the understanding further, but he realized that it was Xyron’s intention to make him forget all that he had just learnt. Irrationally he began to resist the idea with a very forceful stubbornness.