Eye of Ra (26 page)

“Yes I do,” it turned bowing in servitude.

“Did my father leave a command granting me a right to break whatever protocols he set for you?” She asked.

“Yes he did,” it responded.

“Then I command you to break all protocols set by my father,” she ordered, “and to obey the commands of Laurence Danjuma from this day forward.”

“I shall obey,” confirmed the familiar.

Upon command the familiar projected and debriefed the Council on the actual events that had led to the demise of both Set and Osiris at the hands of their failed experiment Horus. It was exceptionally painful for Laurence to watch, especially as the tears fell from the eyes of those present as they watched their mate, their cousin, their nephew, and their father fall never to rise again. The hardest to watch were the tears that fell from granite-faced Anubis as his heart shattered, watching the true death of his father for the first time. Laurence’s eyes became glassy as he turned to an equally heartbroken Nephthys, who wanted nothing more than to run down, embrace, and console her son.

She remained seated. She, along with the rest of the Council, represented the law of the land, and she could show no sympathy at this time, even to her own son.

The emotions that shook the room from this revelation dropped the monkey of fear on his back whispering in his ear that he may have led the human race straight to the gallows.

As the familiar completed its report, the Elders took a minute to gather and recompose after viewing the damning evidence.

 “Laurence Danjuma of the House of Ra,” Atum took a deep breath. “Are you aware what this information may mean to the human species of Earth, should this Council choose to divulge this information to the Dominion Council?”

“Yes I do,” he fretfully nodded.

“Do you also know that you were not obligated to divulge this information,” Isis added. “Nor did Anubis have the right to attempt to assassinate you in order to gain possession of this information.”

“The part about it being illegal for him to jack me for my memories, I didn’t know,” he quickly cut him a dirty look. “But I felt that despite how detrimental it may be to the human race, this Council deserved to learn the truth.”

“Why?” Ma’at asked.

“Before Amun-Ra died, he set very strict protocols for his ship, and especially his familiar, to follow,” Laurence turned to her. “He covered every base to ensure that no one on Anu would learn what he had done, and that humans even up to the present day never found out the truth about the Annunaki. He covered all bases except for one.”

He placed a hand on his chest plate.

“This armor. He never set any protocols for wearing it,” he swallowed. “Amun-Ra knew once it synced with someone within his bloodline, it would send a signal back here. I think…he knew he could not hide the truth forever. I believe he never wanted to hide something this heartbreaking and painful, and then take it to his grave. I believe that he felt that the sacrifice was worth it to save the human race. I believe he just wanted to give my people time to show you all that humans are not a threat to the universe like Set and Osiris believed.”

He stepped closer trying to find his words.

“I have seen the evil that my people have done, and currently do, first hand. It is horrible, and it makes me ashamed to be a human sometimes. But along with the evil, I have seen the good … I have seen the strength of my people and their potential to do wonderful things when they bind together for a common good. I have seen their courage and bravery to stand up for what it is right. I have witnessed their compassion and love for one another, especially to those who need it the most.

We’re not a perfect race by far, and it’s kind of embarrassing that after two hundred thousand years we as a species still have not gotten our act together.

But the difference between us and the Razcargian race that you fear we may become is that the Razcargian fought as one for the common goal of conquering the universe.

We’re still fighting one another. So many of us are fighting to make a better world, so that we can be a better people as a whole.

And there are more good people than bad on Earth …still fighting for that day.

We just need more time …a chance …please.”

“And by coming forward with this information,” Atum inquired at the end of his plea. “Are you attempting to prove that you represent the best that your species has to offer?”

“No sir,” Laurence’s eyes filled with tears as he shook his head, “I am actually the worst the human race has to offer.”

He burst out crying because he realized that a large portion of the shame and embarrassment that he felt about being human came from his own failures.

“I am a coward. I took poison and abused myself to run from my troubles,” his voice cracked as his tears ran heavy. “I have lied and stolen things to fuel my habit. I have hurt family and friends in every way possible. I am a horrible person who does not deserve the honor to wield the familiar at my feet or wear this armor. I don’t deserve to be called a member of the House of Ra …because I am not a good person.”

He lowered his head sobbing.

“But I want to be,” he choked. “I want to be good …I want to be a good person.”

A painful silence blanketed the chamber as the Elders turned to one another. Laurence’s words even managed to crack Anubis’ stone demeanor, who slowly turned to him with eyes of compassion.

“This Council shall convene to discuss the data presented to us,” Atum announced.

Laurence wiped his face as he gathered himself, watching in amazement as each of the Elder’s eyes became pure blank white. Their bodies sat as statues locked in what appeared to be a state of trance.

“Uh, what’s going on?” A sniffling Laurence whispered to his familiar.

“The Council has transcended to the astral plane in order to discuss the cases presented to them privately,” it answered.

“Oh,” he stood there nodding with a blank expression on his face, pretending to understand.

Awkwardness came into the room to dance with silence as he realized that it was just him and Anubis currently in the room by themselves. The dance continued for a while until one of them spoke.

“You did not humble me,” Anubis snarled.

Laurence looked around and then realized he was addressing him.

“Excuse you?” He turned to him.

“
You
did not humble
me
,” Anubis repeated not giving him eye contact. “I would have that known.”

“Oh my bad,” Laurence sarcastically scoffed and whispered, “I was pretty sure that it was me dropping your unconscious ass in the middle of the capital for all to see. But you apparently remembered someone else humbling your ass.”

“Your victory over me was achieved by what your species knows as luck, because I underestimated your abilities, which are still grossly subpar by my standards,” Anubis grumbled, “which will
never
happen again.”

“Yeah, well ‘grossly subpar’ still whooped dat ass,” Laurence rumbled back. “And any time you …”

His challenging retort was silenced by the Elders returning from the Astral plane to render their verdict. Laurence mirrored Anubis’ stance as his bones trembled, awaiting the Council’s decision.

“This Council has spoken and will now administer its judgment,” announced Atum.

“Anubis of the House of Set,” Isis began to hand down the ruling. “On the charge of violating Protocol 9756 of the Dominion Council, this Council finds you innocent based on the evidence presented on your behalf by Laurence Danjuma of the House of Ra.”

Laurence clutched his chest breathing a sigh of relief as Anubis kept his granite-faced composure during the judgment.

“However for the crime of assault and attempted murder of a royal family member under the House of Ra,” her voice boomed. “This Council does find you guilty.”

Laurence lowered his head muttering a curse, while Anubis remained unmoved by the verdict.

“However,” Isis continued. “Based on the testimony from Laurence Danjuma, this Council also believes you have been ‘fairly punished’ for your actions. For the remainder of your punishment, you will be remanded back to the House of Set, where your House Elder will determine a fitting punishment to ensure that you never enact such treachery again.”

Laurence side-eyed Anubis, catching a sliver of nervousness on his face as his eyes locked onto his mother glaring back at him from her seat. Apparently that type of fear was universal.

“Regarding the evidence presented to the Council based on the failed experiment that caused the deaths of Set and Osiris,” Ma’at moved onto the next subject. “Which was hidden by Amun-Ra who violated several protocols under the Dominion Council set forth in regards to planetary exploration.”

Cold sweat washed over him as he weathered his body’s uncontrollable spasms. He prepared for the judgment that would determine the survival of the people of Earth.

“Laurence Danjuma of the House of Ra,” Khnum grumbled as he looked down upon him. “This Council has made a very difficult decision. What do you know of your species’ current status with the Dominion Council?”

“My familiar has informed me that based on past parameters,” he lowered his head. “Humans are still considered primitive.”

“That is correct,” he nodded. “What you do not know is that every five human years, the Dominion Council holds a special session on universal matters. One very important matter is called ‘The Great Extension’. During this session, the members of the Dominion Council review the progress of species across the universe who have met the minimum evolutionary parameters, so that they may be extended an invitation to become a part of the Dominion Council. This invitation unifies species across the universe in peace and grants them access to a network of shared knowledge, resources, and technology to further advance their species and strengthen relations with others. The minimum requirement for a species to come under review is the successful pursuit of space exploration. Your species achieved this on the human date of October 4, 1957.”

Laurence’s eyes nervously widened as his mind located the date taught to him in high school and the significance behind it.

“The launching of Sputnik One,” he gasped.

“Since that date, for thirty-five of your human years, your species’ progress as a whole has been reviewed by the Dominion Council,” Khnum sighed. “And based on that progress …your species has been denied invitation every time.”

Laurence’s stomach became a ball of sailor-tied knots has he realized the conversation was heading for a very bad outcome.

“Within those thirty-five years,” Isis spoke next. “Twenty species also up for consideration, some of whose technological progression had been far slower than your species, have been extended that invitation and are now a part of the Council.”

“That is because they either stopped or never displayed the archaic thinking and barbaric nature that your human species continues to enact toward one another to this very day,” Nephthys sadly shook her head adding her thoughts. “What is most heartbreaking…is that we have discovered the more your species advances technologically …the more destructive you become both to your planet and to yourselves. As you stand here representing your species before us…answer us this please. If you were part of the Council reviewing the horrific history your species has written for themselves with their eyes very much open, where a large portion of your species starves because those in power hoard natural resources for profit. Where in some parts of your planet those of your male gender willfully and horrendously disrespect and abuse those of your female gender, who provide the greatest natural resource of your planet, your offspring. Where in those same parts and many others, your offspring are also abused and slaughtered as if they meant nothing …”

Laurence kept his head down as an ancient Nephthys with thousands of years of knowledge and intelligence stopped to compose herself. The mother within her that could not fathom such horrors came out at that moment, especially while looking at her own son standing before her.

“You are correct, Laurence Danjuma,” Atum took up where she left off. “A lot of the protocols were put into place because of the actions of the Razcargians, which became the single deadliest threat to this known universe. But even in their savagery toward others outside of their species, they understood the basic fundamentals of evolutionary growth that yours does not, which include uncompromising love, respect, nurturing, and defense for one’s own species, regardless of sex, age, differences in appearance, belief, or title.

One species almost brought an entire universe to heel, not just because of their superior physiology, but because they understood that their strength lay in the brothers and sisters standing next to them. That as loose sand they were nothing, but as tightly packed stone …they could stop a rushing river.

That is also the purpose of the Dominion Council, to join species together by mutual respect in order to become stronger than stone itself. To break stone if need be in order to preserve each and every one of our species.

If you cannot respect yourselves as a species, how can we expect you to respect other species from different worlds?

If you are so destructive with your own limited technology, how can we entrust you with ours?