The search for Kalid/2

Davichito

Part 2 of The search for Kalid/1

After remembering that conversation, Leone’s mind came to the present and he began to watch the planet called Flammis through the window. It was a small planet. He was completely green and he had not found out about his atmosphere. Maybe they had already been detected by the Masters, because they allow the spaceship to see the planet. Anyway, he was not too sure about their “Powers”. He was trained in a skeptical manner and did not believe any “mental powers” claim. But science had not discovered everything and so such powers could exist until there was enough prove to their inexistence. He did not believe in clairvoyance, remote vision or the guessing of the future. At that time, the Empire was in a time of decadence, and maybe for the poverty and suffering, most people turned to those strange arts. There had been a renaissance of the Ancient Egypt, Hermetics and magic in general. He was not against the great civilization of Ancient Egypt, but it was more than 4000 years away. For him, ancient means from the XX century. Because Leone lived on XXV century. They did not count it that way, because the Empire had changed the nomenclature of times. Time was counted as the years since the foundation of the Empire capital, so they were on 100 AF (After the Foundation).

“Do you believe in mental powers?” Leone asked Aristark

“Not at all” answered Aristark. “Why do you ask?”

“Because we are searching for a Master in mental powers and that whole world is inhabited by that kind of people” Leone said

“I don’t know what to believe yet. My position is skeptical, but I will believe some of it if there is enough prove for their claims. If they can read my mind or damage my laser gun with their mind, maybe I will listen to them”.

“That’s the point. Mental powers cannot be proved. That is what I know. They never show their powers to foreign people, that is, to people outside their “Hermetic” Order. But that can be because they have no powers at all” Leone said

“You are right. Maybe they know nothing. But one thing they could do was to hide from the Empire. And that is no easy task” Aristark said

“Maybe the whole story is a forgery and the Empire is just waiting to conquer them. It can be that Flammis is of no interest to the Empire, it is a dead planet, as I know. And it does not even have any great amounts of minerals either. I believe it is a story invented to frighten the kids…” Leone said

“That could be. But that could be not. Maybe they are people who plan to take the Empire…”

“How do you know that?”

“I was there when you were taking to Sybil. I had heard something like that not so long ago. There is a legend that a mighty hermetic order will overthrow the Empire and will rule instead of it. But a legend is a legend”.

“Another invention. We will find out soon if they are as mighty as they show themselves to be…”

After that conversation, the two counselors resumed their work. Leone went to the main room of the ship to control it. Aristark went to his room to study the planet and prepare the equipment for the landing. They would need special equipment if the planet did not have oxygen.

Leone connected to the spaceship. He commanded the ship by connecting some electrodes to his head. He did not need to touch any buttons; he just connected with his mind. He saw the appearance of the virtual control of the spaceship on his head.

“Thot welcomes you. I am prepared to land on the spot you choose” Thot, the main computer, said, with a neutral voice.

“Yes. Show me a 3D model of what you have scanned about the planet, for me to choose the landing point”.

The computer showed him the 3D model. The computer was connected to him through a neural connection. It did not have to show anything on any screen. Thot showed everything on Leone’s visual area. It talked directly to his language processing area on the brain. It was a new invention that only few spaceships had. And few planets could stand. But Leone came from a planet where science was a leading force and technology was at its peak. They were from the “friend planets”, that is, planets who did not pay tribute directly to the Empire. These planets lend services to the Empire and they had more independence than other planets. Just like Leone. He was very independent and did not have to obey many orders. His work as pilot was a lonely duty, he seldom communicated with his superiors. He received some information from them and he carried the goods to their target planets.